Winter

[akweks]

Who: Connor and YOU!
What: There's snow in the middle of summer... why...
When: Throughout the week
Where: The woods
Rating: idek it's probably fine

Connor's injuries have finally healed to the point where he can leave the clinic. Or so he thinks, anyway; there are none left here to chastise him if he pushes too hard, so it doesn't really matter. Cassandra, James, Stephanie -- all gone within days of each other. His father, too, though he didn't expect much chastisement from Haytham regardless.

It seems to be a common action to announce the departures over the journals of friends and family, but Connor's never really been one for that sort of thing. Attention and dramatics. Those who need to know will already have known, and those who don't wouldn't care in the first place. It's all very logical, but it doesn't mean he's not bereaved.

Haytham and James, off to be murdered. Cassandra and Stephanie, he didn't know. And Jenny, too -- lost with the rest of them, and soon to be lost in the real world.

But snow reminds him of home. The woods in Paradisa aren't the same as the woods at home, but the differences are less apparent when the trees are bare everything is blanketed with snow and ice. He trudges through it, lost in his thoughts, ignoring the chill wind.

It's harder to ignore the weird ornaments and garlands decorating some of the evergreens out here, but he just frowns at those and continues on his way.

He finds a river eventually, and in the way that Paradisa works, it's not completely frozen over. There are shells in the water, he can see them, and he frowns again. But this time he crouches down (with a small grimace) and picks them out of the silt and water.

[ooc. find connor at the river or tromping through the snow or squinting at christmas decorations! actionspam or prose, i will follow what you choose.]

Comments

[paradisamods]

[A few yards downstream, a majestic white beast stops to take a drink of icy water, its big blue eyes downcast even as it sniffs the air.]

[akweks]

[What the heck?

Connor catches something out the corner of his eye. In one decisive movement, he grabs the bow off his back and knocks an arrow, looking up sharply at the white beast. There are wolves in the forest now -- he's heard them howling -- and the animals are so strange in this world that he doesn't want to take a chance with any of them.

He's aiming at the animal, when he realises that that is... definitely not a wolf. A horse of some kind...?]

[paradisamods]

[The unicorn raises its head as Connor aims, mane blowing in the breeze, and blinks at him. Its horn catches some of its mane, making it stand out even more.

It's still for a moment, watching him, then slowly begins to make its way toward him.]

that should have said *nocks......

[akweks]

[Frowning, Connor's eyes drift over to the horn on its forehead -- it's incredibly difficult to miss -- as he tries to figure out what the heck this thing actually is. He recognises it (vaguely... maybe...) from heraldry, something to do with Scotland, and he wishes for the upteenth time that he'd been more attentive during Achilles's lessons.

When the animal approaches, Connor lowers his bow and stays crouching, not wishing to spook it.]

[paradisamods]

[The unicorn's nostrils flare as it sniffs the air, getting closer and closer, snowflakes glistening against its coat. When it's only a few feet away, the unicorn stops, just watching, almost expectantly.]

[akweks]

[What a majestic beast, Connor thinks, slowly moving to stand to his feet once it stops its approach. Hesitantly, unsure if it's smart to interact in such a way with what he assumes is a wild animal, he holds his hand out, palm flat and pointed at the ground, as if it pet its muzzle.]

[paradisamods]

[There's another long moment where the unicorn just looks at him, but then it cranes its neck to inhale Connor's scent before taking another step closer. Its muzzle rubs along the side of his hand, and the unicorn sighs, tail flicking happily.]

[akweks]

[Did he just tame this majestic wild animal... maybe he did... that's pretty cool...

Connor carefully moves closer, stroking its neck and murmuring lowly to it.] Do you belong to someone? Perhaps we should go to the stables.

[paradisamods]

[As unicorns do not speak, this one doesn't answer his question. Instead, it snuffles and tries to nuzzle at Connor, intoxicated with his scent.

Those big blue eyes are just filled with love.]

[akweks]

[Not only did he tame this majestic wild animal, but he made a friend! Look how much it likes him. Animals are great, and he likes petting them.]

Come. [He pats it once more on the neck, then starts walking backwards in the direction of the castle.] We will see if someone is looking for you.

[paradisamods]

[No, where is he going! The unicorn immediately follows, butting Connor's back with its nose.]

[akweks]

[Just to the castle, unicorn friend! Connor huffs quietly, patting its muzzle again.]

It's alright. [And... eying its size...] I wonder if you could be tamed to bear a rider.

[paradisamods]

[Hope Connor is ready for some unicorn snuggles, because the moment he pauses to pat, that is what happens. The unicorn wants to rub all over him and cuddle with him and be with him forever.]

[deadlybanker]

The snow sank beneath his boot as the latest magical wonder of Paradisa was examined in the only way one can, by getting out into the middle of it. It was pure chance that he happened upon the large footprints left in the snow around an ostentatiously decorated pine. He, quite literally, stumbled into them while gaping at the tree.

The man making the trail had done very little it seemed to cover his trail so it was some what surprising to find an assassin at the end of it. Giovanni knelt by the trunk of a tree and watched Connor shift through the river for... what?

Solace?

That seemed to be what many of the others wished for, the sudden removal of so many of their number being a great deal to bear. One could dwell on it or perhaps it was better to have a moment where it could be forgotten? A brief respite from all the hardships. Maybe this was what Paradise had in mind with the snow and decorations.

The snow was soft and packed together quite nicely between his gloves. It sailed through the air well too. What better way to announce his arrival than with a friendly ambush?

[akweks]

Connor was too concerned with collecting the shells in the water to really pay very much attention to his surroundings. An oversight, for sure, but he's certain there are no dangers here. No Templars. Even when his father was in this world, of course, he still didn't think there was any danger in that avenue. Perhaps from the animals that now lurked in these woods, but he feared those less than he did men.

So he wasn't anticipating getting hit by a snowball, in short.

Connor jerked forward when it hit him in the back of the head, thankfully catching himself before he fell face-first into the icy river. He angrily turned around and got to his feet in one movement, his hand going to the tomahawk at his side out of reflex. "Who --?!"

[deadlybanker]

"Come now, Connor."

The Renaissance Assassin's voice was light, playfully amused at the reaction his harmless attack had caused but he stood from behind the tree revealing himself all the same.

"You must know how the game is played? My children would surely have retaliated by now," with a smile he gestured to the weapon the other was reaching for, "And they would not have done so with a blade."

[akweks]

Connor was always a little high-strung, sensitive to touch and invasion of his personal space. Apparently snowballs counted toward that.

Once he realised there wasn't a threat, he relaxed a little, though -- which didn't necessarily mean he lightened up. Huffing, Connor brushed the snow that remained off his shoulder, belatedly and absently placing his hand at his side. Moving that quickly still aggravated his wound, which hadn't yet had the time to fully mend.

"You mistake me for a child, then."

[deadlybanker]

"You were one once," so said as the snow still being held in his gloved hand was formed and shaped just as the first had been, slowly taking on the solid form of a ball.

"As was I. Are we to give up all silliness simply due to age?"

[akweks]

Connor frowned, gaze drifting down to the forming snowball in Giovanni's hand.

"It seems inappropriate to play games when there is such suffering. Even here."

[deadlybanker]

"There is always suffering, by your way to thinking we should never be allowed to relax?"

He for one couldn't keep punishing himself for the actions Borgia had taken... He had done that far too much already. Sitting in his room alone, isolating himself while pawing through books, could not bring them back. Nothing could.

"But I apologize if I have disturbed you too much. I thought only of trying to lighten the dark mood that has settled in around the castle of late."

As a show of this the second snowball he held was allowed to tumble from his grip and land on the snow covered roots of the tree he still stood beside.

[akweks]

He held his frown for a moment, considering, then sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"I do not require an apology. You are right; I have been preoccupied with melancholy lately. So too have many others. It is difficult not to, in this world."

[deadlybanker]

Connor's apology was likewise deemed unnecessary though Giovanni did so with a quirky little sideways smile and a humorless reply.

"It is a state of mind I have unfortunately become very acquainted with myself."

He just hid it better? No, probably not to anyone who really knew him well. His eyes especially looked tired from all he had experienced. To live beyond your time was incredibly difficult.

"Perhaps we might find a way to end this cycle."

[akweks]

Connor responded with a wry, slightly wary smile.

"I hope you are not suggesting we end it by way of snowball fight."

[deadlybanker]

Don't think it wasn't a tempting offer but the tone for him had already shifted to a more serious one. Though... he did smile.

"I was thinking more about trying to find my way through the maze in the, Insolitus, I believe it's called? If we can find the source of the castle's power we might be able to destroy it."

[akweks]

He nodded slowly. It was always better to focus on a task rather than dwell on things he could not change.

"I cannot say I have ever been there. But if there is a source to the castle's power, I agree that it must be in its heart."