faderift | (no subject)

WHO: Carlos and OPEN.
WHAT: It's the annivesary of his mother's death, and Carlos doesn't know what to do really.
WHEN: Begining of Bloomingtide
WHERE: Gallows
NOTES: Mentions of corporal punishment and child abuse and nelect

Carlos isn't really sure what he is meant to do on the anniversary of his mother's execution. Is it a day meant to be celebrated? Mourned? Ignored? He never fully processes it, even though it's been so long since it happened. All it does is bring memories of her to his mind, which makes him feel small and young all over again.

The weather seems to want to agree with him as it's rainy and unpleasant. He spends most of the day inside because of that, studying and helping with the healers where he can. But then towards the middle of the afternoon being cooped up makes him feel trapped - almost like he's that little boy living in a small closet all over again.

So he finds his way outside. And he lets the rain pour down on him. He probably looks a bit mad, letting himself get soaked, but he feels almost as if it's cleansing him. He isn't even fully aware that anyone is around to judge him.

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Carlos offers her an appreciative smile at the comment. "Most people don't," he admitted. "Once they find out about her.

Either that or they expect that I'll end up turning out just like her."

"Now why would they think that?" she asks, before remembering that she wanted to make sure he ate to stay healthy after his trip into the rain. She gestures towards his door, unconsciously trying to herd him along because it's in her nature to take control of situations. "A person would have to be stupid to assume someone would turn out just like their parent, especially when the child was raised in a Circle." The edge of her mouth turns up in a smile.

"If people knew my mother, they would question if we were even related, if we did not look so alike. We are very different people, she and I."

He is easily herded, even more so because he likes and trusts her. He likes how easily she just accepts how silly it is to compare someone to where they came from, rather than focusing on who they are now too.

"Really? What was she like?" he asks, wanting to talk about anything other than his own parent.

She smiles a little, making a humming noise of amusement.

"Even before I went to the Circle, I knew my mother as sickly. She has weak legs and hardly ever walks. But because she is mainly housebound, it has made her a hypochondriac, always thinking other things ail her in order to gain attention. She also meddles quite a lot, going so far as to betroth me to a man in the town where she lives so I would leave the Inquisition and be cared for." Christine sighs, shaking her head.

"She is prone to dramatics, and it takes time to calm her. Yet despite all this, she is not cruel. Having a mage for a daughter does not upset her, and she wants to see me married, which shows she is optimistic that things will improve for us in time."

[ ooc: i'm hoping to wrap up pre-tourney threads. could we handwave the rest? ]