𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒, douxie casperan

twelve, long live persistence

✧ — it's been a year. it is september twentieth. happy birthday ris ^_^ ALSO LMFAOAOAOAO UPDATES ANNUALLY i'm sorry guys school is horrible also also ignore the inconsistencies with the format bc wattpad is being mean to me and won't let me use outside fonts and images :(
✧ — unedited

long live persistence

ॱ०      ❛♛       ॱॱ     ✦ॱ           ॰ॱ      ໌ ॑         ०ॱ໋        ✸  ✦࡞        ॱ❜    ✶०ॱ   ✩♚໋ॱ

"WHAT DID YOU COLLECT TODAY?" Clematis asked as she held the young girl's hand. They were hooded as they walked the evening streets of this new village, heading back to the docks. "You seem less gloomy than usual, Tristabelle."

"I collected two bracelets," she said, "and a brooch. Y un joyero desde una vitrina."

"Ho-je-ro?" Clematis was a bit disappointed in herself for not understanding Spanish much. She had been part of Corentin's crew for weeks, and although he was one of many Romani, he was raised on Al-Andalus' ship ports and underground. All he spoke was that nation's language and Clematis couldn't even understand his daughter. Clematis even felt the same about the girl's mother, whose forebears had resided in Al-Andalus for ages and intertwined their Islamic and African backgrounds with Spanish routine. She tried to learn about both of their ways, but there were still things she could never know.

"This." She rummaged through her pocket and held up a small jewelry box, rounded at the boxed edges and the length of a quill. Clematis took it gently into her hands as they reached a street corner.

"I can date this thing back a while," she observed, closing one eye as she focused on the details. "Probably'll help you with coins once we get to Camelot, little marauder."

"Mm." They stopped walking as they watched a carriage pass by on the road separating the buildings. Clematis gave the jewelry box back to the little girl, fascinated with the box's luster, who placed it back into her robe pocket. "Everyone is talking about Camelot. Why?"

Honestly, Clematis wasn't sure why either. She knew that the main reason was a job, a caper, but Camelot was on her personal blacklist for a reason. Apprenticeship was never on her mind until she was dragged out of Zhongguo and forced herself to find help from those who were untrustworthy. She did this for Corentin Llesenia.

Oh, the things she would do for Corentin. He was her hero, in spite of being a notorious marauder of the maritime trade, bringing the sea power and storms to the land and toppling a monarch's world, and being the husband to the sands' Lady Azure. Maybe she idolized him, but he was a better teacher than her former could have ever been. He made an effort to understand. Suffice to say, that was something unfamiliar to Clematis Guo.

For that, she would risk capture and interrogation when arriving at Camelot. He entrusted her with many things, so she dared not retract any promises.

They began to walk after the carriage passed. "Your mother has some matters to attend to."

"That is what Father said. He wasn't able to say why." That was Tristabelle's indication towards a question. She had trouble managing her tone, and at the expense of interpretation her voice was often soft and monotonous. No one really minded, though.

"Ah... your parents are sorcerers. Sorcerers don't abide by explanation," Clematis justified with folly. "Even I'm not sure of where they stand other than for each other and the crew, especially for you. They've been baring their teeth since forever because of all the bad things in the world. It's their habit to find ways to protect themselves."