All I've Ever Wanted (Clarice and Ostana)

[Ruby]

"Find her!" 

"Find Her!"

"FIND! HER!"

The shutters on Ostana's window flew open. Slamming against the walls and rattling her awake. Today marks a year she's been having these dreams. Losing sleep over seeing her mother's face as she urged her to find someone named Coastillon. She groaned and rubbed her throbbing head. Breathing deep to calm her pounding heart. The moon was still out which made her plop back down into her bed. It was a rare night she didn't have a client with her. She huffed. She was too exhausted to let her wolf out to stretch her paws and too wired to fall asleep. So she just laid there all night. Wide awake thinking of her mother's face. 

Having a patron warm her bed would've been better. 

She had never seen her mother in real life. Yet now here she was haunting her dreams. Even the Dreamwalkers she knew couldn't explain this phenomenon. It put her on edge and her lack of sleep made her dazed and agitated. 

She barked at a patron when the doors opened. 

Yeah, so Libelle decided to keep her behind the bar tonight. 

She could at least get people's orders right. And if someone tried a bit too hard to persuade her to take them to bed she had an excuse to try and bite them. "What he tried to steal a keg" she'd bat her eyelashes at the mistress. She probably only got away with it because this wasn't normal for Ruby. She was the most popular lady. Outside of Libelle who no longer took clients and everyone often joked about how Ruby could talk a vampire out of his own fangs from how charming she could be. She did learn from the best after all. 

She leaned her elbow on the bartop and rested her cheek against her hand. Taking a moment of calm she had to look around at the drinking and debauchery. She sighed and smiled at the site. It might have been weird to many others but this to her was home and she loved to see her family playing the game with the poor people who entered The Dragon Lady. Her eyes passed over a shadowy figure that sat in the corner of her bar. Her gaze boomeranging right back her way. 

"Drink. Fuck. Or leave. Either way, if you stay you pay."

She approached the dark figure unafraid. Which was contrary to how everyone else seemed to treat the woman. Looking right into her matching gaze with a smug attitude. Ruby smirked and leaned on the bar in front of Clarice. "What'll it be love? I can't let you stay if you don't buy something." She gave her one of her cheeky smiles and a wink. Something she'd regret later when they learn they're cousins.

"Everything you see is on the menu." 

[Clarice De Biville - Council]

Clarice had looked at the loom and recently events seem to be colliding soon. She couldn’t pinpoint what was going to exactly happen. She would have to follow the threads and one of those clusters of threads seem to land her at The Dragon Lady. A place she had learned about through gypsy whispers along with meeting Libelle when she had started it. She would like to think she had a hand and keeping the Drake encouraged in being a business woman who branched out past just selling her body.  

She could use the guise of visiting an old friend to return, maybe being there with her feet on the ground would point out this event that wanted to play out. Be there to help if its something that can’t be handled by those who were there. Seeing how Devon was around though would lead to the events being positive without her help. So after packing a bag and pulling a cloak on she opened a portal to walk onto the busy England streets. Finding the Dragon Lady was easy enough and she kept her hood up as she walked into the rather busy evening swell making her way to a dark corner to watch for a bit.

Her watching the crowd was cut short when the domineering woman behind the bar called out to her. Moving closer she slowly pulled her hood down, the room wasn’t filled with people who would know her, and Libelle was nowhere in sight at the moment. A short chuckle left her lips as the woman in front of her made herself clearly available to services. “Well while the offer is tempting my heart is bound to another already.” She gave a gentle chuckle as she pulled out the small coin bag. 

“Ale if I remember correctly Libelle was making one called the dragon’s brew?” She asked with a chuckle, staring at the woman for a moment longer. “Is Libelle around? I am an acquaintance.” She said as she placed the money for the drink in copper coin, knowing gold wasn’t the best to have around Libelle and she wasn’t sure if anyone was a Lupine so she often avoided silver also. “I am glad to see The Dragon Lady has been doing so well since the last time I visited.” she said, taking a long look around the place. She could feel the wave of gems under her feet.

Her gaze focused back on Ruby for a long moment, “Where you here when she opened, you seem so familiar for some reason.”  She could just simply reach out and touch the maiden to learn more about her but that was very invasive to do to another. Yet her features reminded her of someone little did she realize it was herself she was seeing in the woman.

[Ruby]

She smiled though she was surprised Clarice wasn't here for a gem for the night. "Lucky them." it wasn't every day she got turned down but this was by far the best reason she's gotten. As many came here to forget the one they were bound to for the night. Color her faintly impressed. Only faintly. She was still here for some reason and typically the reasons people came here were to escape their reality... Unless of course you were that weirdo, Vega. Seeing Clarice a bit clearer than before now, however, she recalled each time she came in search of Libelle. 

Not many people ordered the signature drinks by name. Each one named after the woman who'd made it, subtly giving insight into its creator. Like a clever little easter egg no human noticed. Even the regulars didn't know the names of the drinks. Often just blurting out which gems drink they wanted rather than the name of the drink. But Clarice said its name and that alone put Ruby on alert. Whether that was good or bad remained to be seen. "We still make that one. We've one named Wolf's Bane now too." she gave no indication that that was her concoction. "It's not for the faint of heart." she picked up a clean pewter mug just as someone fell off their stool beside Clarice. Ruby let out a soft snort to represent a laugh then gestured her hand towards the fallen fellow as if to say see. She spun the mug by its handle around her finger before she topped off Clarice's order. 

"Sorry, no Onyx tonight. She had to put me behind the bar but that allowed her to take some time with her family." she placed her drink before her and collected the payment. She then stepped around the bar to help the very drunk patron back in his seat. But as she did a soft change happened in Ruby's demeanor as Clarice mentioned her looking familiar. She was working so, of course, she did not completely flip. And she was well hidden behind the patron, at least she thought so when this quick change happened. She was relatively back to normal when she was back behind the bar. Like it was a suit of armor protecting her from her own feelings and insidious thoughts. 

Ruby didn't like thinking about when she first arrived here. At least not certain aspects of it like people saying they recognized her. She was just a hollow shell of herself back then. Where she consistently latibulated in corners. Hoping she would just disappear entirely. She was weak in body and mind. So if she looked familiar to Clarice or anyone that meant she hadn't changed. Gotten better. And though that wasn't true it was what her mind would continually think about. Trying to convince her she was still that broken little pup who collapsed in Libelle's arms begging to be hidden. She recognised Clarice but didn't want to be recognized by her. 

"I built this place." she hands the ladies their trays full of orders for the crowd. "Not in reputation. That was all Onyx as I was a vial little thing that didn't like to be touched back then but the architecture you see. The designs. The fortitude. Hell, even the stools at the bar here and the bar itself I built." she, at last, stopped moving to avoid Clarice's gaze and looked at the Mystic. She wasn't bragging it was clear she didn't really want to talk about the past too much. Instead, she was just reciting truths quickly mumbled under her breath so she didn't have to continue to talk about her past self. "What brings you here? I'm sorry I'm not Liby but maybe I can still help."

[Clarice De Biville - Council]

✧ All I've Ever Wanted ✧

“I will have to try one of each then! I do love the clever drinks that have been made between my visits.” Her eyes ran over the woman for a moment, “Are you the one that made the wolf’s bane one?” She asked, seeing the wolf's energy waving off Ruby. “Lucky for me, I have never been one to have a faint heart.” She gave a smug smile as her eyes lingered from ruby over her shoulder to the stairs. So many different beings' energy radiating through The Dragon Lady compared to the last time she was there. Reaching into her bag to place more coins down for both drinks. “Besides I think we can agree men are the weaker sex often especially when it comes to their hearts.” She rolled her eyes at the man who had fallen over.

“Oh? Did that crazy man finally make his moves and get Libelle to settle down?” She chuckled, taking the drink that was sitting in front of her taking a long lingering sip of the alcohol letting it burn its way down. She felt her shoulders relax for the first time in a long time. Something about Libelle drink made her relax and feel comfort for a home she longed for. What Clarice didn’t realize was that she was seeing her own family blood in Ruby, partly because she never knew her birth family nor thought about them being raised among Mystics. She kept staring trying to place her in her memory.

It dawned on her who Ruby was in that moment, “Oh my yes I remember those times now. You have done such a beautiful job with fixing this place up.” Even though she knew who she was from those few times there was something different. “But no, that isn’t where I know you from. While yes we met then, there is just something about your aura.” She cocked her head to the side and gave a lovely almost motherly smile almost not that she could have children. “You have come so far my fear, don’t put down what you have done to make this place as successful as you have also. Libby has never spoken an ill word of you and sings your songs of joy.”

Her gaze was far for a moment as she was thinking of all the things she needed to get together for her mission. Her eyes snapped back to Ruby at her words, “Well a few things, one of them only Libby can do. She gives me some of her gas for my mixings. Yet maybe you could help me with the other. If you don’t mind bending the law.” She gave a slow smirk looking at the man beside them, waving her hand to form a bubble around the two that was invisible to anyone outside of it. No sound would leave. “There is a cart that is to enter town over the next few days, and there is a bag of gems on it, which was going to be my payment for Libby help. There is a chest with an item I need in it. An item I wish to keep to myself if you don’t mind.” She gave a cock of her brow. “Think you can help me? If not I am sure I can find a rogue but I would prefer someone I can trust.” After all the rogues and her didn’t get along since the Nerissa Incident.

[Ruby]

A shrill panic rattled deep within her caged heart. Clarice recognized her beyond The Dragon Lady. To Ruby that meant far more than Clarice could imagine. To Ruby, it meant she knew her father. And immediately she wondered if she was in danger. But she never gave a sign or indication that this panic and fear were present. And they eased the moment she took a deep breath through her nose. "That it is!" she smiled as she confirmed the Wolf's Bane drink was hers. A devious smile crosses her features as Clarice's second order is placed. And another pewter mug is spun around her finger right before she pours. There's a pause in her actions and a change in her expression as she places the cup down for Clarice. "It... It's an old family recipe." She didn't know where the hesitation derived from suddenly but she felt compelled to share. 

She had learned many things from her father. Although she never wanted to admit that. However, this was one of the few things she hadn't learned from him.  This recipe came from her mother taught to her by one of her brothers. One of the few brothers who cared and loved her. Clarice was the first to learn that fact about the drink as even Libelle wasn't privy to the knowledge since Ruby hated talking about it. But she couldn't keep it to herself all of a sudden. Her hair stood up straight as the invisible bubble formed around her and the only reason she didn't immediately go into a defensive mode was because Libelle trusted Clarice. It didn't mean she wasn't on alert and ready to fight for herself at any moment. "The law doesn't exist." One might smirk or laugh or chuckle after those words. But Ruby was dead serious. 

She tilted her head from side to side. "So you get this thing you want. Libby gets the gems and I get... assed out doing all the work it seems." she stepped out of the casing of the bubble which seemed to make it pop as a gem brought some dirty cups to the bar. Quickly she restocked the girl with a fresh tray of drinks and immediately began to wipe down the mugs to prep them to be cleaned. "That's not a no." she eventually said after a few seconds of silence between them. "It just means you'll have to figure out what I get later." A smirk finally curled the edges of her lips as she teased. She tossed the cloth she used to clean over her shoulder as she studied Clarice for a second. Humming to herself a moment. She stepped away and disappeared to the back somewhere bringing the dirty dishes with her. Placing a delicate vial on the bar before Clarice upon her return. "Onyx said I'd know who this was for and you're the only person I've ever seen her make this for so.." she gestured to the vial for her to take. 

 

[Clarice De Biville - Council]

✧ All I've Ever Wanted ✧

Clarice tightly gripped the mug as Ruby gently placed it on the bar between them. "Oh? An ancient family recipe or a traditional family recipe?" she indicated around them, clearly inquiring whether Ruby was referring to lineage or ties of allegiance. "Where I come from, in my era," she continued, her eyes wandering to the nearest window for a prolonged moment. "I never had knowledge of my biological family. Any semblance of a family I ever had was forged through the ties of allegiance," she confessed, although she would inevitably distance herself from them. The fear of someone penetrating her defenses and perceiving her true vulnerability and fear rendered her thankful for not knowing her origins; she felt as though she would only be a source of disappointment.


A subtle sinister grin danced in her eyes but did not reach her lips as seriousness weighed on her mind. "A kindred spirit, I have always viewed the law as nothing more than an impediment in my path." In sync with Ruby, she cocked her eyebrow. "Now, our acquaintance is still in its infancy, so I will overlook that comment. I would never task someone without offering some form of compensation." Silence enveloped them as the sounds of another one of Libby's girls working interrupted. Gracefully lifting the mug to her lips to sip on the wolf's bane concoction, the sensation of the herbs lighting up her throat evoked a sense of nostalgia within her.


"Crafty one, teasing me," Clarice softly chuckled as a smirk graced Ruby's features. She finished the drink during her brief absence from the bar. Her gaze scanned the individuals in the establishment, searching for someone she could easily manipulate, to serve as a scapegoat for the theft of the cart. As the vial came into view, she clasped it in her hand, holding up the dark substance to the flickering candlelight for a moment before stowing it away. "Libby has always been generous with her concoctions. It's truly puzzling why she doesn't cater to mystics on a larger scale, given her proficiency in crafting potions."


Clarice's eyes once again swept across the room. "Are any of these men more of a nuisance than a pouch of coins to you, ladies? I prefer to conclude my missions methodically, ensuring all loose ends are tied up with a suitable scapegoat. The emphasis is on the male component there, though." Recalling the men who had restrained her, sapped her power, attempted to dominate her, she deemed it only fitting for a few of their kin to bear the consequences in her place. At times, she longed for the tormentor Prospero to have offspring, so she could exact vengeance on all subsequent generations of his lineage. A grimace crossed her features as she ruminated on the individual who had inflicted the most abhorrent acts upon her in her youth, the individual who had nearly driven her to despair.