Private Tales Fated and Heartless

Blind Date with Lilette Blackbriar ~


Strangely enough Lilette was not the first of the supposedly destined trio to arrive in this secluded glade. Literal foresight had allowed Callim to glide rather seamlessly ahead of both Lilette and his brother to wait for the vampire. Sitting peacefully, placidly, just on the other side of the statue that acted as the fountain's water feature. The smells of the city masking their presence for the moment as Lilette sat and played with the water. Callim, features unknown to her until now despite their previous meeting, would stand and gently round the corner.


Clad in gentle robes of white and gold, a mask obscuring the upper half of his face entire, a pristinely polished sapphire seated between where his eyes would be, Callim moved with a sort of ethereal grace even a vampire could admire. The way he 'saw' and 'moved' with his robes skirting the ground and obscuring his legs gave him the appearance of gliding across the stone as he rounded the corner to peer sightlessly at Lilette. In truth Callim had never needed the ritual to find Lilette here tonight, a gentle smile curving their soft features only slightly as they bowed their head and spoke.

"I see fate has drawn us together once again. Though this time under much more pleasant circumstances."

Though Lilette would not recognize Callim's face she would likely remember the first voice inside her head other than her own. Only now spoken with physical lips rather than being sent straight into her mind. Though Callim's smile remained a small, subdued thing he nonetheless chuckled a soft sound.

"My brother lags a bit behind, relying on the same methods as yourself to find this place. However, for what it is worth, even the tides of fate did you no justice for you are quite lovely in person."​

Callim would tilt their head just slightly, an almost coy smile upon their lips, something between playful and secretive at being referred to as a "mystery voice". A chuckle lighter than air and more brief than a spark would leave the blind human before he pointed his masked face approximately toward Lilette's head, albeit a bit too far to the right.

"Fate, it would seem, has decreed mine voice and person not be a mystery to you."

That small, mysterious smile would vanish like a match blown out by a cold, mountaintop gust.

"Whether it be a current worth pursuing or diverting, however, remains to be seen."

At mention of his brother Callim would seat himself upon the fountain as Lilette once had. The golden claws and other ornaments upon their fingers tracing through the water as Callim aimed their face toward the water's surface. The answer never came from Callim and, instead, a THUD would sound from Lillete as Cassian landed behind her from the rooftops. Electing to answer for himself.

"In a manner of speaking."

Now both brothers would look at Lilette. Cassian's masked expression inscrutable but fixed firmly upon her eyes while Callim, blindly pointing their head toward her, had the sapphire of their mask pointed vaguely at her stomach. Though Callim would respond after only a moment's thought.

"Intriguing. I had theorized we might be destined for one soul in the realm of love, Cassian, it seems my suspicions were confirmed."

Cassian would cross his arms and shrug, seemingly indifferent to this observation.

Lilette Blackbriar​

Callim simply gave a slow, placid smile at her question about their blindness. Meanwhile Cassian would sigh softly at her pointed question about the crossbow. Both noted the motions of her pointed ears, though each had their own thoughts on the subject. Cassian, for one, thought the motion unnecessary and a potential work hazard. Callim, however, simply kept his placid smile and found it quite charming. At least, in the futures he could see wherein she moved them even more.

At her gasped word Cassian would look at Callim, who would tilt their head down to stare at the floor, unseeing the physical but perceiving far more than that besides. Slowly Callim would raise a hand laced with golden chains, fingertips capped with two golden claws on the middle and ring finger. The pinky bore a small ring while the thumb and index finger bore a tiny pair of golden clappers. When Callim spoke even their soft voice was hesitant, seeking to assuage, but he was entirely unused to the practice.

"We.... are. Though we need not be."

Cassian would pick up the explanation from there.

"A ritual performed by followers of some goddess of love lead us here. To you. Personally I don't have much to do with the gods but....."

Another shrug, Cassian's arms crossing tighter, before he let his gaze wander down Lilette Blackbriar to study her "nun" outfit.

".... it seems I do now."

Callim would purse their lips and, standing slowly, would add.

"What my brother means to say is that we are.... bound.... closely so. Born as twins our lives are almost all but one. I'm afraid where on heart goes the other will naturally follow."​

It was an odd thing, even novel in Arethil one would think, to be observed by two people who could be said to share the same thoughts and have it not be wholly inaccurate. The shy demeanor, the biting of the thumb, the ephemeral quality of her movements, for a moment Lilette Blackbriar could say she held the gaze of two assassins at once and had no need to fear for her life. Though it would be Callim who spoke first.

"True as that is we do not wish for you to feel.... pressured. Considering the previous circumstances we met under. Fate is a fickle thing and I can see, too, that it pulls at you with great ferocity toward some horizon I cannot see."

Callim would turn to look at Cassian comparatively perfectly before Cassian shook his head.

"To put it bluntly, nothing about this is set in stone. You are.... elegant. Alluring. We....."

Cassian paused, Callim nodded, before both stated in unison.

"We find you acceptable."

Callim would hold up a hand, the golden chains about their arm tinkling softly, and they would add.

"But share whatever you wish, whatever you are comfortable sharing, and we shall attempt to reciprocate."

Cassian grit his teeth a bit at that but, ultimately, nodded as he moved to sit beside Lilette on her left side while Callim sat directly on her right.​

Cassian would speak first, elbows on his knees, looking ahead.

"I suppose.... I am Cassian."

Callim, sitting somewhat sideways to more directly face Lilette, would bow his head.

"I am Callim."

The twins would pause, their expressions shifting subtly, no doubt they were communicating at the speed of thought for a moment or two. Suddenly, however, Callim would speak up.

"I have never known a House Blackbriar. Neither client nor target."

A more.... awkward pause would fill the air before Callim politely turned away and beckoned over some doves. Petting them as Cassian turned to face her.

"We cannot come to a true agreement on how to broach the topic so.... you are a vampire."

Holding up a finger to forestall her objecting or reacting too violently Cassian would continue.

"No need to panic. The Lord Commander of Alliria is one of your kind. Which kind, however, we do not know."

Callim would gently move one of the doves onto Lilette's shoulder, watching with a gentle smile as the bird nuzzled her cheek with soft feathers before flying away. Only then would he speak.

"Regardless, Lady Blackbriar, you being nobility makes things...."

A brief pause before both spoke a single word in unison.

"...complicated."

Cassian would then elaborate.

"It is entirely possible someone could hire us to eliminate you, or a relative of yours, and we have never been in the practice of denying contracts. So.... we believe it might be better if you.... work... with us. But only after you get these under control."

Cassian would emphasize by using one finger to gently flick one of her pointed ears downward. Callim, for his part, would simply watch before his cheeks began to burn a gentle shade of rosy pink. A soft, confused whisper coming from him as he breathes.

"Why.... do I see this now?"

Lilette Blackbriar​

As Lilette Blackbriar stared down at her shoes, her form slouching when she should have been able to hold perfect posture forever, the twins would stay utterly silent. Their thoughts communicating back and forth rapidly as she whispered out her painful, heartfelt reply. In truth the two of them could sympathize with her feelings all too well. Being born all but linked together for the rest of their lives the thought of them losing the other was painful beyond description.

After many long moments of silence save for the sound of the fountain Callim would stand, then Cassian, and Callim would murmur to her softly.

"Give us a moment, please, Lady Blackbriar?"

The two would walk across the plaza, backs to Lilette, and even though they still communicated via thought it was obvious the distance given was more out of respect for her than as a necessity for them to hide their conversation from her. Their faces, or what she could see of them, would twist and flicker in subtle shows of emotion. Cassian seeming much more expressive, defiant and upset than Callim whose emotions tended to be more open, persuasive and conciliatory.

Finally, after a few minutes, they would walk back to her. Not sitting beside her but instead standing before her. Callim would begin to speak, only for Cassian to offer her a hand, swiftly, without a word and with his gaze somewhere above her head. Callim would pause, give a breathe somewhere between a sigh and a chuckle, before gently clearing his throat.

"What my brother is trying to say, Lilette of the House Blackbriar, is we know all too well the heartache that would be caused were we to lose the other. We are the only family we ere possess. In truth we had not planned to open ourselves to you so fully so soon, to see your heart so closely, but.... you revealed it to us in honesty even knowing the pain it would cause. As such....."

Callim would slowly, gently join his brother in offering Lilette a hand, a gentle and comforting smile gracing his features as he continued.

"..... though it may tear at the river of fate as it currently pulls you, challenging a torrent fit to drown kings and emperors, our hands, joined in unison, may be up to the task. We would, if you would allow us Lilette Blackbriar, to attempt to love you. Strong as that word is for so soon into our knowing of your heart. Nothing shall be rushed, every step you desire taken, every precaution and safeguard for your heart given. In turn, we would take you to our home, see if truly your heart is destined to, is strong enough to, entrap both of our own."

Cassian's jaw tensed at the phrasing but he didn't say anything and the soft smile would fall from Callim's face as he warned gently.

"However, I cannot espy what yonder shore the river of fate pulls you toward. I do not know the future our kindness would murder in it's nascency. But you, we think, in this moment understand the pain of our greatest fear enough to.... know us. If you would accept?"​

With placid lucidity Callim understood what transpired before them better than perhaps even Lilette Blackbriar herself. They were, at once, proven right and wrong. The pull of fate had been too strong, too absolute, and while the seer was entirely aware how varied the possibilities fate could present once it had made up it's mind.... it did NOT change.

Cassian, pursing his lips, would begin to speak.

"Whatever has happened to you-...."

Callim would gently place a hand on his brother's arm, shaking his head, and drift forward with silent, elegant steps to kneel before the weeping vampire. Their voice soft, near to a whisper, as they tilted their head up as if to look into her eyes.

"I understand."

Is all he said before he stood, turned, and walked away. A gentle hand beckoning Cassian to follow who, after giving Lilette a long, stubborn stare.... would acquiesce and follow his brother away from her. Trusting her not to their hands but to the tides of fate.​