{|AC:R|} Game of Life {|1-on-1 rp|}

Aceline was eeved out, unsure of where to go and what to do. Ophelia was just as much of a loss but she was looking to Aceline for answers. Aceline was the one who knew this place—kind of—and it was Aceline who had more knowledge of this situation in a whole—kind of. She couldn’t just admit that she didn’t know what to do even if that was the case though. Ophelia’s panic attacks weren’t something she could handle at the moment, far too high strung with the scenario they’d found themselves in.

She heaved a sigh, pushing the sleeves of her jacket up to her elbows. It was a bulky thing on her that hid most of her figure, or what figure she had from view. For now it was unzipped because of the warm evening air they’d suddenly found themselves in. The drifting fuzz balls in the air, some kind of seed, weren’t doing Ophelia any favors either though Aceline was luckily unaffected by those.

“Well, don’t think anyone’s going to be willing to just give us some clothes,” Aceline muttered, “not with the way they were acting.”

Passing a glance Ophelia’s way she shook her head. Those red eyes were something she was going to have to get used to though by Ophelia’s admission earlier it seemed Aceline’s had changed to red, too. Strange to think her boring mud-colored eyes might be something creepier now.

“Red eyes really don’t suit you,” she pointed out, more in an attempt to lighten the mood. It might not have worked but Ophelia scoffed in answer all the same.

With that said Aceline sat back against the building. The alleyway was small but it did well to hide them in the darkening shadows. Nearby torches were lit to help those who remained out this late though some street vendors seemed to be getting ready to go home. That might work for them, having less people to dodge around and giving them odd stares. Hell, most of them just outright backed away, some threatening them if the two women tried to approach.

Sitting down was a small relief and she heaved a sigh, resting her head back against the stonewall. They had nowhere to go and no clothes to help them blend in… Whatever had made their eyes change color was enough to make these people treat them like things to be feared and avoided.

“Don’t know much about Istanbul, do you?” she wondered.

It was a last ditch attempt even when she knew the answer would be no. Aceline would be the one two know the most but that was only because of that game and that wasn’t even to say this was the right time period. Then again the clothes and buildings all looked right for it… Aceline shook her head. She couldn’t just say it out loud, it might make Ophelia panic.

----[x]----

News traveled fast about Constantinople, especially from those who passed the church. All Cyril had to do was listen to those who milled about in the church square to learn the goings on of the city. It was often this that tipped him off about any strangeness that might need to be looked into. That evening was one such time.

A pair of strangely dressed children of misfortune had been found out and about in the Galata District. As soon as he had heard this he’d sent word off to the other Templars, ones who would be able to see to this. If there truly were any over there they could not risk the assassins finding them first.

As for as Cyril had learned several were sent out to look while he’d remain here at the church. From what the message he’d received he was to see to their housing arrangements for the night until someone else could be contacted for such needs the next day. A simple matter and one Cyril had no problems doing. He’d yet to see a misfortune’s child and found himself a little fascinated by the prospect.

Now he found himself pacing, wondering which of his allies had been sent out on the search. Perhaps the newest addition, one who’d turned from the assassins soon after the Ottomans had made a truce with the hooded rats—a valuable ally indeed. No doubt he would be the best to seek for the misfortune’s children out in that old district. It was still run by assassins but he would know the area well enough, would know where that old den of rats was hidden and be able to steer clear of them.

Until anyone returned with these two, however, Cyril could only wait.

Ophelia tried not to panic when they had woken in a strange place. What was more, Aceline's eyes had turned read. According to Aceline, Ophelia's eyes were just the same. What had happened or why it had, neither had the answer for, even as Ophelia pressed for answers.

They stuck out like a sore thumb in this place. Their clothing was odd compared to everyone else's and it seems some had taken notice to their eyes. Ophelia assumed the hostility had to do with the times. For them, they probably looked more like a children of devils, eyes red as they were.

Ophelia tried to ignore the people. It was a difficult feat but any added stress would trigger a panic attack. Throughout the months, she had had small ones. They weren't bad enough to warrant a need for medication. Something like this could trigger a worse one and while her life wasn't threatened because of it, panic attacks were rather uncomfortable.

"They'll probably have us slaughtered before they give us clothes," Ophelia joked dryly.

She spared a glance around, her stomach twisting in knots. Again, her mind tried to make sense out of all of this. Still, there was no making sense of the situation. She shook her head, giving up on trying to find an answer.

Her gaze wandered back to Aceline when she spoke. A light scoff left Ophelia or as light as she could make it given the situation at hand.

"I would get stuck with the color that wouldn't suit me at all, right?" she continued to jest. "That's how my luck always is. Better than brown though, I guess."

Ophelia paused when Aceline did. Aceline had settled her back against a nearby wall. She looked like she was at a loss and that worried Ophelia. Ophelia knew Aceline would be doing what she could to put Ophelia at ease. Still, there was no doubt she had worries on her mind as well, as much as Aceline hid them away.

The predicament, for the both of them, was hard to place and neither knew what to do. Ophelia supposed that would be the case, waking up in an era they knew little of.

'Could be worse,' she reasoned with herself. 'We could have been separated or completely alone.'

For the fact that they had not been, Ophelia was rather grateful. It was simply their next move that they needed to figure out. That was, if there was one they could manage.

Aceline broke her thoughts a few beats later. Ophelia lifted her head, blinking at the other woman. A short shake of Ophelia's head followed.

"Unfortunately, I don't," she replied, leaning against the opposite wall. "I kind of wish I took a little more time to read up on other places. That might have helped a bit."

It was a fleeting thought as Ophelia glanced out at what was left of the crowds. She furrowed her brow, swearing she saw someone nearby before they had disappeared into the crowds. She shook her head again, blaming it mostly on paranoia.

----[x]----

The word had spread fast by the time Vali was informed of the misfortunes children. He had quickly been tasked with finding the pair. He knew the area well and could lead the two of them to safety before the assassins found them.

With that, he was off moving through the streets carefully. Often, he heard talk of the two women, where they had been, what paths they were taking. That made them easy to track, in the very least. For that, Vali was grateful.

They had made the right move taking alleyways and ducking away from people here. Some were frightened of the misfortunes children. If one decided to bring harm to them, others would surely follow. It was because of this that they were so rare.

Yet here, two of them existed, a rarity in and of itself. From what he had heard, the two women and no doubt stuck out against those around them. He hoped that neither the people nor assassins had gotten to them first.

It seemed like hours before he had spotted the pair. Vali held off approaching for a moment. There was no need to startle them. He hummed, feeling a little too anxious as he waited however.

At some point, the shorter hair girl had spotted him. Vali made simple and quick work of hiding within what was left of the crowds. They were thinning out now that evening was drawing on them. He couldn't afford to waste too much time.

Vali approached the pair, picking his way carefully through the streets. Walking down the alleyway, he only paused to study the two of them. The shorter haired woman was tense and the other had gotten to her feet immediately.

"Well, I can certainly see why it is the pair of you that is the latest news on the streets," he brought up, attempting to start a little conversation. Perhaps that would put them at ease though, it didn't seem to work as well as he had hoped. "I am not here to harm you, merely lead you to a safe place for the night. If you keep wandering around through the night like you have been, someone will make quick work of the both of you."

He waited then, judging their expression. Vali could only assume what might be going through their minds. He didn't inquire, not now. They needed a safer place for the night before questions could be asked.

Aceline shook her head at the joke or rather the attempt at one. She didn’t really want to be on the receiving end of some mob because of something neither of them could control. There wasn’t much to say in return to it either.

At the mention of her now red eyes Ophelia was trying to joke about it again. Once more a shake of the head was Aceline’s initial answer to that. All the same Aceline said “red’s my color. You’re totally the blue oni to my red.”

It was a lame attempt to lighten the mood, nonetheless it seemed to help Ophelia. If that was the case Aceline wasn’t going to scoff and mention that. If it kept a panic attack from rising than it was good enough for the moment. It was stressful enough as it was they didn’t need that hanging over their heads too.

Aceline hummed at the negative answer she’d expected. Neither knew much about this place. Out of the pair Aceline was the one who had the most knowledge and that was only from playing Revelations. The only thing Ophelia had ever touched of that game had been the multiplayer, much to the annoyance of Aceline. Anything that Aceline might know might not end up helping them here though…

Knees drawn up Aceline rested her elbows on them, running a hand over her mouth as she tried to think of what to do. No one would spare them any clothes or aid, would they have to resort to stealing? From the corner of her eye she studied Ophelia for a moment or two. There was no way Ophelia was cut out for that. That didn’t even bring up the worry for food later, either.

However long she sat there trying to think of what to do, what the best course of action might be for the both of them, Aceline didn’t know. It wasn’t until she caught sight of something moving from the corner of her eye, something past Ophelia. Her head had shot up and when she realized it was someone else wandering down the alley she’d gotten to her feet. It couldn’t have escaped anyone’s notice how she stepped in front of Ophelia, despite being the shorter of the two.

It only took a moment before Aceline shook her head for the third time in a short while, her brow furrowing as she took in the man before them. His face was shrouded in shadow, both from the hood he wore and the fact that it was night but the clothes were all too familiar to Aceline for her to mistake who it was. Swathed in green and white and stopping only a short distance away stood Vali from the very game she’d just been thinking about awhile ago.

Her mind raced, even as he spoke up. Was he still an assassin or had he defected from them? While Ophelia might not care either way which faction they ended up going to the thought left Aceline unnerved. She didn’t quite sympathize with the Templars, even if the ends they strove for could be seen as noble, in a way.

It wasn’t until Ophelia nudged Aceline in the back did she realize that she was the one apparently making this decision for them. That wasn’t exactly a comforting thought considering everything that could go wrong. Aceline tried to ignore that.

Vali was offering shelter though why she couldn’t be sure. Whatever faction he was part of now must have gotten wind of their appearance here or he merely figured they might be useful to whatever cause he fought for. If he had wanted them dead he would have easily done so without either of them noticing, that was for sure. If only due to this reasoning was Aceline able to make a decision.

“How much of a walk are we talking here?” Ophelia had a bad knee, if she couldn’t sit and rest it soon Aceline worried it might give out under her. She’d rather not have Ophelia have that happen if it could be avoided.

The odd joke or two were dry ones but Ophelia knew that Aceline was trying. They both were, to be honest. Given the situation, there wasn't a whole lot either could do.

She didn't dwell on her lack of knowledge on the area. Nothing could prepare them for this at all. She didn't mention that however, simply remained silent. There wasn't much to say in ways of plans.

Several minutes passed in this manner before someone approached them. Ophelia tensed immediately, taking a few steps backward. The man was familiar and her heart sank when she realized who it was. She spared a glance toward Aceline, waiting on what she thought. Still, the other woman remained silent as if sizing up the man they both knew to be Vali.

He shifted slightly, patiently waiting on an answer.

"I assure you both, I am only trying to take you some place safe."

Ophelia reached out, nudging Aceline's shoulder slightly. When Aceline glanced at her, Ophelia offered a shrug. What did they have to lose really? Assassins and Templars aside, he was their only lead at the moment.

Vali studied the pair carefully. Both women were tense though that much was understandable. They were indeed strange and he felt more comfortable if they got moving soon. If they were out of sight, they would be less at risk.

He watched as the short haired woman prodded the other. Eventually, the one who seemed a tad more cautious spoke up. Vali hummed in response to her words.

"I take it there is reason that you are asking?" he asked, motioning to the pair.

He watched the woman behind shift, glancing at him nervously. "I've got a bad knee."she paused briefly before she continued, "It should be okay though. I've dealt with worse days."

Vali nodded in response, tipping his head slightly before he shook his head. "It will not be too far, I assure you but if there is need for you to stop and rest a short time, I can at least indulge that much."

It would slow them down but he'd rather get them there both whole. If he did not, there was no doubt he would pay dearly for it. He quashed those thoughts.

He motioned to the pair then, carefully watching them. "My name is Vali cel Tradat," he introduce. "If I may be so bold as to ask for your names?"

Both girls looks a little apprehensive about answering. Eventually, however, they relented.

Ophelia looked at Aceline again. She didn't know what was on Aceline's mind or what her plans might be. She shook her head eventually.

"My name is Ophelia, this is Aceline," she introduced for the both of them.

It might not have been a good move but they needed to do something. As night was drawing onto them, she worried about what might happen. Vali seemed to know what might be best at the moment.

Vali spared a nod as Ophelia spoke. "Aceline, Ophelia, I would rather not waste anymore time here. If you are both ready, we should get moving."

It was only when both relented would he begin leading the way. The walk back would be lengthy enough but as long as they weren't held up, they would be fine. He would rather get out of this area as the news spread and word got to the assassins.

Vali at least sounded sincere with his reassurance though what of the brethren he was allied with? There was no way to tell if he was still loyal to the assassins or not until she either saw a familiar face or he said something about it. One way or another they’d find out soon. Even the place they might be taken could provide a hint or two to Aceline.

It might have been obvious to both he and Ophelia that she was hesitant on making the call. Still, if she was the one who had to Aceline would need to think of what was best for both herself and Ophelia. Personal feelings might have ot be shoved to the side for awhile. Eventually she nodded, relenting to the idea. Vali was their best bet to staying safe, no matter which side he was allied with at the moment.

Aceline hesitated when Vali wished for an elaboration of her question. “Well,” she started, glancing back at Ophelia. It was up to her if she wanted him to know or not.

As Vali admitted the walk wasn’t far Aceline finally let her arm drop back to the side. She’d had it up a little as if to better shield Ophelia, even after she’d recognized who had approached them. Soon enough he was introducing himself, wondering what their names were afterwards. Ophelia beat her to answering him.

The way Vali said their names it sounded as if he was trying to familiarize himself with the sounds and with them in the process. Aceline found she quite liked the sound of her name when he said it, in a way it was almost comforting.

“Lead the way, Vali,” Aceline murmured eventually, gesturing for him to do just that. Waiting around wasn’t doing them any favors.

It was quiet for a long time as he started them off. The streets were less crowded now, however, and that was a relief for Aceline. She was sure it might have been for Ophelia too. There were definitely a lot less eyes to stare.

Every so often, however, Aceline would find her gaze drifting to Vali. Though she liked seeing the sights she knew she’d enjoy them more when she was less stressed about the situation in whole. That wasn’t what had her gazing at the back of Vali, however. It had been no secret to Ophelia that Aceline had quite liked the man as a character, had something of a crush on him even. Now that he was real? Well, it was an odd thing to think about and Aceline wasn’t sure how she felt or thought about it.

Ophelia glanced Aceline's way a couple of times, wondering what was on her friends mind. This was strange to the both of them especially given that Vali was a character in a game they both enjoyed. Seeing the man in front of her now, Ophelia had to wonder how she felt.

In the very least, she had relented to shelter for the night. Wherever they ended up, well, Ophelia figured they could worry about all of that later.

It was quiet for a long stretch of time as they walked. The area had cleared a little since the time they had spoken. Ophelia was grateful for that much. There were less eyes on them now, less threats.

Eventually, the sound of water met them. Ophelia had spied the ships long before but now that they were getting closer to them, she became a little nervous. She swallowed hard, wondering why they had been lead here.

There wasn't much said between the two girls after he had started leading them through the city. For all he knew, both had quite a bit on their minds.

Only when he had stopped a the docks and turned did he take in their demeanor. Ophelia looked notably nervous while Aceline more or less looked fine.

"We will have to cross by ship. It will not be a long ride, if that is what you're so nervous about."

He watched Ophelia shift before he waved a dismissive hand. If there was something that she feared about the ships, she would find a way to handle it on her own. Vali motioned for them to follow and board. It wouldn't be long after the ship would start to lurch into movement, given so few needing transport now.

"It would be a ship," Ophelia muttered to Aceline. "You see how my luck is? Super skippy, isn't it? I'm gonna be throwing up off the side of this thing in minutes."

They had boarded the ship and already, her stomach felt like rolling. She rubbed her forehead, as if that would help. Ophelia hoped that Vali was telling the truth, that it would be a quick ride.

No one had bothered to talk for a long while. It left Aceline to her conflicted and troubled thoughts. What might happen to them, who they were going to meet and why—these and many more flitted through her mind. It didn’t help that oftentimes she found her thoughts circling back around to Vali. Who he was working for, what part he might play and if he was dangerous or not.

It wasn’t until the sound of waves reached her ears did Aceline draw away from her thoughts. Between the buildings she could see what must have been the Golden Horn approaching, the waters dark but for the places the moon shone off of. Several boats were docked at the piers though it didn’t look like many would be sailing to the other side of Istanbul at this hour.

At the docks Vali had finally halted, turning to face them. The mention of being nervous caused Aceline to furrow her brows, confused for a moment before Ophelia spoke. Despite herself, Aceline tossed a sly look Ophelia’s way. Vali was already leading them up the short gangplank, a few others stationed around the boat as well. Aceline figured they might be heading home for the night.

“You know what else is super skippy? You don’t have your motion sickness pills. Haha!” she teased before having to jerk away when Ophelia swatted at her.

Even the gentle swaying of the boat was enough to make Ophelia look uneasy. It would only be a few minutes before the boat would lurch, starting the way across the Golden Horn. Ophelia noticeably made sure to position herself by the edge, if only to throw up over the side if she had to.

Aceline shoved her hands in her hoodie pockets. She felt so out of place with the way she was dressed but it wasn’t like she was just some tourist, this hadn’t been a planned trip much less one into the past. Awkwardly she stood near Vali, Ophelia several feet away. Glancing up at him she studied what she could of his face, easier now that there was less distance between them. It still would have been easier if it had been day though.

He might have felt her gaze on him or else seen it for he turned to her briefly and Aceline imagined there was a curious expression adorning his face under that hood. Embarrassed to be caught staring she cleared her throat into her fist, turning away to hide the way her face must have turned red.

If Ophelia noticed this exchange or not wasn’t her concern at the moment but if she had Aceline was sure she’d hear about it later. Instead she wondered if Vali had noticed any sort of tell that would say she found him familiar in some way though there was no way he’d be able to guess as to why he was familiar to her. The last bit was the only thing she could take solace in at the moment.

“Where are we heading?” she asked finally. Perhaps Aceline asked this in a bid to try and steer the conversation in a direction that wouldn’t point out their odd clothes and where they might be from. It wasn’t like she and Ophelia had a good cover story for that.

Ophelia had swatted at Aceline when she joked about the pills. Of all things she wouldn't have, it would have been something like that. She resisted a sigh, moving toward the edge, keeping herself a few feet away.

She ran a hand through her hair, her stomach rolling. If it was a short ride, she'd feel better. The silence wasn't much of a help but there was little she could do about it. Ophelia was aware that this was an odd situation for just about all of them.

Vali had raised a brow at the way the two acted. He wasn't sure what Aceline had whispered to her friend but it seemed pushed aside for the time.

Ophelia had positioned herself at the edge of the boat. He didn't pay it much mind. For all he knew, the way the boat moved didn't agree with her. Instead, he focused his thoughts on their next move.

For a long few minutes, it remained this way. The only sound breaking the silence was the waves. It was when he felt a gaze on him did he glance at Aceline. She quickly looked away, maybe embarrassed at being caught. Vali resisted a shake of his head at that.

When she spoke, the question was a tad hesitant. He hummed shortly before he started to speak, "There is a church on the other side of Istanbul. An ally of mine has agreed to house you both for the night. That is where you will be safest. Despite the people's hostility, many will not many will not violate who sought sanctuary inside the church."

He watched her expression, taking in the thoughtful look. Whatever was on her mind was left unsaid for the moment. If he had to guess, there was a brief bit of cautiousness there as well.

"There is little reason to worry, I assure you." he instead attempted to reassure Aceline. Vali wasn't sure why she acted as she did. Perhaps these questions could be asked at a later time.

Ophelia had barely turned away from the ships edge. Occasionally, she would spare a glance back but nothing more. She listened when a conversation was brought up.

It was then did she look at Aceline. A church being mentioned was a little bit of a warning sign to the both of them. She watched Aceline grow thoughtful though a bit of panic must have been there.

If Vali was now on the Templars side, that would have no doubt left Aceline strained. She heavily sympathized with the assassins, after all.

Vali didn’t seem to react to the things the women said to each other. That was good, Aceline had made sure to be quiet about it. The last thing they needed was to set up some butterfly effect because they’d talked about things in the future. Still, the joking helped.

For a few minutes there was only the sound of the waves lapping against the boat and the occasional mutterings to each other from the other passengers. There weren’t many but they were stationed around the boat, keeping a wide berth from Aceline and Ophelia. At the moment Aceline didn’t mind this.

When asked Vali at least gave an answer. In a way Aceline wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting of him in this situation. For the most part he was rather accommodating though she had to wonder if that was because they’d agreed to follow. If they hadn’t would he have been more forceful?

When asked Vali gave an answer, nodding towards the direction they were heading. The mention of a church caused her to pause, brow furrowing. A friend in the church? A man covered in red clothe, trimmed in gold came to mind and Aceline felt a lump lodge in her throat at that.

The thought was a fleeting one, at least for the moment. The tension that revelation came with did not leave her however. Aceline half hoped that in the darkness it wasn’t too noticeable. She’d rather not have Vali suspecting her of something because she’d connected a few dots and answered some of her earlier questions, questions that had been unasked.

Instead she ran her hands over her face, a look of distress flitting over her face and grumbled something under her breath. A moment after she repeated it, louder so that Ophelia could hear.

“I forgot about calling sanctuary. I fucking straight-up forgot that that was a thing.” A pause followed as she shook her head, letting her hands drop back to her sides again. “I feel as if I’ve let Esmerelda down now.”

The ‘joke’ would escape Vali’s notice though if Ophelia recalled the Disney flick she’d be able to get the lame attempt at one. For all Vali would not it was just another person they knew.

The nervousness on her face was apparent. He raised a brow though didn't say much in return. Whatever had her so worried, he could only assume. There would be a time and place for questions.

The thought was shaken away for the time being. Aceline seemed to try and force herself to relax. Between the both of them, she seemed to be able to hide away her emotions rather quickly.

The joke that followed was a strange one to him. A little a ways, he could spy Ophelia biting her lip, a grin on her face. It seemed like she was trying not to snicker or laugh.

"It is certainly useful, given your situation," he answered instead.

When both of the women seemed to grin at that, he waved it off. They were strange as were the things they said. He would get to the bottom of it sooner or later.

Ophelia snorted at the joke though, more so at Vali's confusion. This might become a common occurrence, she figured, if they kept dropping references from their own time like this. She shook her head at that, not at all bothered for the moment.

"Could be worse at this point," she replied lightly. "At least we know that much now."

She wasn't sure why these people were so hostile toward them. Maybe it was their clothing or the now red eyes. People relied heavily on religion in this time, after all. The thought was shaken away however.

The ride over took longer than she would have liked though she tried not to complain. Needless to say, she was more than pleased to have her feet on solid ground again.

Vali lead the way once more and they let him. Neither knowing this place well enough, it seemed the best. Still, Ophelia would feel better when they weren't out in the open. The church didn't seem like it would be terribly far, after all.

At least Ophelia found the situation funny, Aceline still couldn’t bring herself to even at her own lame jokes. At this point it was more out of habit. There wasn’t a need to show any concerns or thoughts she had on the matter. She partly figured they’d be brushed aside anyways.

In a way it wasn’t so much worry that flooded through her but a feeling of being lost. Though she knew the games well, almost inside and out, she had a feeling it wouldn’t do them much good here. Any knowledge she had might only do them so much good when things changed to accommodate their being there. That wasn’t even bringing about how the distant future might change because they were here.

Eventually Vali spoke, sounding as if he wasn’t sure of the conversation himself. Ophelia was grinning though Aceline merely waved a dismissive hand at the comment. The idea of being cooped up in a church for her own good wasn’t exactly comforting. She’d never found the places to be all that comfortable, it didn’t help that Aceline wasn’t religious either.

Silence had fallen over them afterwards and Aceline took to studying the area as the boat drifted along. It was all very nice to look at though she figured it’d be nicer to see in the day and when she wasn’t so distracted by more important things. Even when she wandered the small boat, a few feet this way or that, she could see Vali shifting his position so that he was able to reach out for either woman if he needed to.

Finally they lurched to a stop and Aceline imagined Ophelia might be rather green in the face because of that. It was a short wait before Vali started them off, his pace quick. It wasn’t hard to gather that he would want them to get inside and away from prying eyes at this rate.

Down this path and that street there was little to observer in the darkness. The occasional torch lit the way but there would be plenty of time to take in the sights when she could appreciate them more fully. The dark didn’t do Istanbul any justice anyways.

The church eventually came into view, made of stone and towering above them. It wasn’t any larger than the buildings around them but it was clear it was an important place. There was a square before it, a place for people to gather or mill about and the windows were the most decorative ones Aceline had seen yet. It was this place that Vali had lead them to, heading up the stone steps and to the thick double doors.

There was another man inside, dressed from head to toe in red. Only when he turned to greet them was it obvious who it was. It was Aceline’s turn to glance at Ophelia. Would she have troubles viewing Cyril as a real person and not some fictional character?

”I see they’ve been found relatively quickly,” Cyril said, gesturing for them to enter further. He’d merely been cleaning up the area, a more tedious chore for him but one that had kept him occupied while he waited.

He studied the two women as they approached. Their clothes were the oddest things about them even with their red eyes. Such simple clothes and unflattering ones as well, it was no wonder they’d been easy to spot about Galata’s district. Cyril was relieved that the assassins hadn’t taken them in before Vali had located them.

Ophelia's knee ached a little as they walked. She was quiet as was Aceline. Their jokes had quieted down, as strained as they were. The walk was straining on her now and the lack of conversation didn't help.

Eventually, they had made their way to this church. She tilted her head back, studying the church. While it was just as tall as the other buildings, it was clearly a nicer looking one. She would have studied it further if it hadn't been for the voice that rang out.

She tensed slightly, her gaze turning toward the man outside the building. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She spared a glance Aceline's way, the other woman having looked back.

Ophelia wasn't sure what to think about this. First Vali and now Cyril? She gnawed at her lip, those sudden worries returning.

The walk seemed seemed slower than Vali would have liked it to be. Occasionally glancing back, Ophelia and Aceline trailed a little ways behind him. Vali didn't push them to walk faster. He'd take Aceline's warning about her friends knee.

Eventually, the church did come into sight. Cyril had been outside, calling out to them. Vali spared a nod in response to his words.

"Yes, they were rather easy to track down," he answered the other man.

It wasn't long before Cyril was motioning them in. Notably, he was studying both of the women. Vali wasn't surprised by this fact. Both of them looked rather strange, after all.

"Come now," he motioned toward the two women. "I assure you, there is no need to worry."

They both looked tense again, for whatever reason that might have been. Earlier, while they were cautious, both had been a little more relaxed. What had suddenly changed? He couldn't be sure.

Eventually they did relent however. They would be safer inside the church and away from prying eyes.

It took a long moment for Ophelia to gather herself. Both men were waiting and despite the situation, they couldn't stay out here all night. She eventually started toward the church, sparing a glance back to Aceline.

"I'd like to get off my feet," she whispered to the other. "My knee is getting pretty bad. Best get this done and over with. We'll worry about the rest later."

Ophelia knew that this was more than Aceline would want. What could they do though? For the moment, these people were all they had.

It was chillier outside than usual but not enough to bother anyone. It was still comparatively warmer than other places he’d heard about. It seemed at least one of the women Vali had escorted here seemed to think that way, however, her sleeves rolled up. The two were quiet even when he’d spoken up, instead it had been his fellow Templar who’d answered.

“I can see why,” Cyril noted, an eyebrow raised.

Without further conversation he’d gestured for them to enter the church. Without argument they did so and Cyril found himself relieved that there seemed to be no qualms on the matter. It would make the situation much easier on them all if the two continued to cooperate as such. He did catch the taller one whispering something to the other, however.

It didn’t seem that either had the intent to dart away, however, and so Cyril didn’t bother trying to figure out what might have been said. Though each woman looked uncertain they were cooperating, that was all that mattered.

Cyril led them to a small room down one of the many hallways in the church. There were plenty of rooms in case one might come to call for sanctuary. Many were of the Romanians, oft mistaken for gypsies—or so one had told Cyril. Already Cyril had the room prepared, a few candles lit to see by on the nearby table.

“If you might take a seat, we have a few questions of you both before anything else might be done,” Cyril said. If they needed water or food then Cyril would tend to that if they asked, anything else was a side note, however.

Silently Aceline had followed, noting how Vali glanced back once as Cyril lead them somewhere in the church. It wasn’t a long walk, short compared to the one Vali had taken them on to get here. Aceline didn’t spare much attention to the surroundings, instead finding herself still staring at the backs of the men. How they got here and why, the answers still escaped Aceline.

The room was a small thing compared to the foyer but Aceline didn’t mind it much. She sat herself at the table next to Ophelia. She’d plopped down, probably happy to rest her knee, the brace Ophelia wore could only do so much, after all.

“So,” Aceline fished, glancing around the room.

”Where do you both call home, if I may be so bold as to ask?” Cyril began, gesturing to both girls.

“Over seas,” Aceline answered shortly, glancing between Vali and Cyril. The latter noticeably hadn’t introduced himself, not that it mattered to she or Ophelia. So long as neither spat out his name before that they’d be fine, for awhile.

The room they were lead to was a small one. She wanted to take in a little more of the church, taking interest in the Orthodox at some point. Like many things, she simply tried to understand their origin.

Ophelia put it behind her in favor of getting off her feet. She plopped down onto a chair, rubbing her knee carefully. It normally didn't help but it was better than just leaving it the way it was.

She spared an apprehensive look at both of the men. It wasn't long before a question was asked. Ophelia didn't get a chance to answer. Aceline had quickly done it for her. It was a vague answer though, Ophelia didn't know if that would get them anywhere in the end.

Vali watched the pair carefully. Cyril's question had been a simple one yet they'd gained little in response. Perhaps it was because they were on edge.

"Certainly, you can provide a little more than that?" he tried to press.

He shifted his weight before moving around the room carefully. The way both acted, it was clear that something was being hidden from them.

"There is no need to be on edge," he advised, motioning toward the pair. "We did not bring you hear to be of harm. We merely wish for some answers."

He paused, studying their faces. Trying to get these two to relax was proving to be a bit of a hassle.

Ophelia passed a glance between Vali and Cyril. She shook her head then, mulling over what to do. She lifted her head again, sparing only a short glance Aceline's way.

"Our home is far to the west," she further elaborated. "It's not a place either of you would have heard of."

She watched as both men exchanged a glance. Vali gave a short nod at that though nothing more was asked for the moment. Ophelia glanced at Aceline. It didn't take much to figure out that she was a little annoyed. For the moment, Ophelia tried to ignore it.

"I see," Vali answered in response to Ophelia's words. The annoyance on Aceline's face was not missed. "How did you come to be here?"

Ophelia shrugged in response. They'd both gotten quiet again and he spared a glance toward Cyril. He looked just as thoughtful, though the man always was.

"We really don't know. We woke up here but we're not sure how we actually got here, so to speak."

"Curious," Vali answered, looking at the two. Aceline seemed to be growing anxious then. He waited, if only to see what might come of this.

Aceline had wasted no time in slump back in her seat, an arm draped over her stomach and her other elbow resting on that. She brought her hand to her mouth, knuckles pressed to her lips as she observed Vali and Cyril. Ophelia was far more tense than she was, sitting straighter in her seat.

Her brow furrowed, jaw set as Ophelia elaborated on answers. That wasn’t exactly helping matters. A place they’d never been to before? At this rate they might want directions to go explore and be the first there. Aceline could only imagine what kind of hell that’d play on the future, their past, that they’d left behind.

Cyril had clasped his hands behind his back, shuffling his weight as she’d answered. There was little doubt that he was filing this information away. Who would they share it to, however? Aceline couldn’t recall if a Templar grand master had been named in the games at this time.

It was clearly becoming obvious which of the two would cooperate most with the interrogation. The way the darker-haired one would glance at her friend made it obvious she wasn’t in a mind to share these things. What other things would she attempt to hide then that her friend might not? The thought left Cyril anxious to find out.

“A place we’ve not yet heard of, hmm? It must be far to the west then,” Cyril prodded. When neither woman quite answered that one he shook his head, moving on. “An awful strange place for such clothes to be worn there. Perhaps you might share a thing or two about your home.”

He waited then, though neither one seemed inclined to answer. Perhaps they didn’t know how to start if they did. Cyril would remain patient; they would be longstanding guests to the Templars, wherever they might be stationed at. They were valuable and so long as they would cooperate they would be treated well.

”It was boring as hell,” Aceline said from behind her hand.

Vali was moving, as if for something to do. He looked as if he had been expecting more, they both did. Aceline wasn’t sure what to tell them, it wasn’t like they had anything they should share. Even the things Ophelia was saying weren’t thingsthey should probably be telling them.

The Ophelia slipped her hand into her pocket, toying with the phone there. She felt nervous though she was doing what she could. If she provided some amount of answers, perhaps she could ensure that they might be a little safer.

She frowned, sparing a brief glance at Aceline again. This was going to be a bit of a painful thing later on. Ophelia knew she wasn't going to hear the end of it at some point or another.

The mention of their clothing left her at a loss for words. Aceline wasn't saying much on that either. Then again, Aceline wasn't going to be giving up a lot, Ophelia was sure.

Aceline quickly answered another question, though it was just as vague as before. Ophelia bit her lip, still toying with the phone.

"There wasn't much, she means," she continued. "Mostly fields and trees. Towns and cities were spread rather far apart."

Vali wandered about the room, listening to their explanations. It seemed out of the two, Ophelia was going to be a little more cooperative, even if she looked nervous while speaking. He couldn't begin to wonder what she was toying with.

He shook his head, moving closer to Aceline's side. His gaze wandered over those strange tattoos marked all over her body. He studied them for a moment before he noticed on in particular.

Reaching out, he took her arm in her hand. She tried to jerk away but he kept his grip firm enough. As he had thought, there was the symbol the assassins, his old allies, had used. A hard frown tugged at his lips.

"Now, what is this?" he inquired, sparing a glance toward Aceline.

Ophelia had jerked, something clattering to the floor with the movement. She jumped then, catching their attention. He allowed Cyril to take care of that item, whatever it was. Vali's attention was back to the mark.

"Care to explain this?" he pressed, waiting on Aceline or Ophelia to speak again.

Vali was pacing, wandering rather, about the room as he listened. Aceline had little doubt that he was, after all. Cyril had scoffed at her answer and had turned instead to Ophelia when she elaborated. At least the idea of towns and fields wouldn’t give anything away. Every place had those in some form or another.

Cyril seemed to mull over what to ask next and Aceline had no doubt that he was eyeing them as he did so. The shadows his hood provided did little to confirm this though. It was the feeling of eyes on her that made Aceline believe this, especially with the interest he and Vali displayed about the two women.

The way the long-haired woman glanced at the shorter-haired of the two it was clear that nothing had been given away that she didn’t approve of. Good, maybe Cyril could get more answers in this vein of questioning. In time they would see, however.

“Constantinople must be quite the change of pace then,” he noted conversationally.

”Something like that,” the longer-haired woman muttered.

Cyril shook his head at that. It seemed even now she wasn’t quite as cooperative as her friend was. A shame, really, the other was the smarter of the two in this situation. Whatever kept the longer-haired woman so curt and silent he wasn’t sure. The way she did keep glancing at Vali did not escape his notice, however.

Vali had wandered around the other side of the room by this time. At some point he’d stopped and from the corner of her eye it looked as if he was staring at her. She didn’t get the chance to glance at him and confirm this before he’d reached out, wondering bout something or other.

Out of habit Aceline had leaned away, attempting to jerk her arm out of his grasp. He had a firm hold on her, tight enough to keep her arm in place to inspect the dark marking on her forearm. Something clattering to the ground beside her could be heard but she found she couldn’t take her eyes away from Vali.

His gaze was intense and she found herself struggling to find an answer. Saying he was just some fictional guy in a story alongside Cyril wasn’t exactly something that would go over well. Time travel might also end badly, too. The truths would be too much, Aceline was sure of it, not to mention the butterfly effect and the cries of she and Ophelia being insane.

“Not particularly,” she muttered. ’It’s not like you’d believe any of it anyways.’

Her heart pounded in her ears when she heard Cyril speak up again.

”What have we here?” Cyril wondered, turning the device he’d picked up this way and that. It was sleek and dark in color but what did it do? It as nothing like what he’d see around here or anywhere near here, that was for sure. Whatever secrets these two had would definitely help the Templar cause.

He glanced between the two. The assassin symbol was prevalent on the long-haired woman’s arm and she seemed at a loss for words to answer Vali. Her friend had Cyril’s attention, however. If either was going to answer it would most likely be here. Even from the corner of his eye he could spot the longer-haired one shrugging helplessly.

There wasn't much else said before Vali had wandered to Aceline's side. Ophelia could only spare a quick glance when she realized Vali's gaze was fixated on Aceline's arm. Ophelia's heart leapt in her throat, realizing quickly what he was looking at.

When she jerked, trying to reach for Aceline, her hand left her pocket too quickly and her phone clattered to the floor. It was Cyril who moved to her side and picked it up, catching her attention.

Alarm shot through her when he spoke and she quickly looked up at him. His expression was mostly shadowed by that hood of his though she knew he expected some form of answer.

"It...it's not easy to explain..." she answers though it had come out more like a stammer. "We're...we're not from here...we're not from this time."

It was all but blurted out. That was the only thing she could figure to say. Beside her, Aceline had jabbed her elbow into Ophelia's side. Ophelia jerked away from Aceline, glancing at the woman's annoyed look.

"Look, I know, it's gonna cause a giant butterfly effect but what are we supposed to do?"

Vali had waited as patiently as he could allow himself. This wasn't exactly something he could take lightly, after all. The assassins had done him a great injustice. If she was a member of their fractions, they would have to go to great pains to watch these two.

When he asked her to explain, she hesitated. It seemed like she didn't have an answer in retaliation to what he had found. Vali's frown deepened at that.

It was Ophelia who spoke first, drawing his attention briefly. His eyebrows knitted together when Aceline jabbed her side. So there was all more to this than they were letting on.

"Time travel? And you have no such explanation for that?" he pressed carefully.

His question went ignored as Ophelia attempted to reassure Aceline. Neither women seemed to agree with one another at this point. Vali released Aceline's arm and stood back briefly. He wasn't sure of this talk of a 'butterfly effect'. He spared a glance Cyril's way, the man looking just as unsure.

"Well, this has become a little more promising than I would have expected." he brought up.

Vali knew the misfortunes children were strange. Their potentials were often untapped and they only really had documents on them. There had been so few through the years. Was being pulled through time a possibility they held or was it something else? Vali found himself anxious to find out.

Cyril had waited patiently for the shorter-haired woman’s answer. Vali was busy dealing with the other one, some marking on her arm catching his attention. Cyril wouldn’t interrupt this. If it was important then it would need to be seen to sooner rather than later, preferably now.

Eventually the shorter-haired one spoke up, the words tumbling out despite her obvious hesitance. She nearly stammered a time or two in her explanation and a few times she sounded as if she had no idea of what to say. His silence stretched on for a moment, staring at her before his gaze turned back to the thing in his hands.

It felt foreign to the touch, unnatural almost. Still, this bit of technology was something never seen before, it would benefit them greatly. It would be a matter of contacting the proper people now, once everything was settled for the night. From the way that her friend jabbed at the shorter-haired woman’s arm it might be awhile yet.

“A rare find, indeed,” Cyril murmured, glancing at Vali. He still held the longer-haired woman’s arm in hand.

As Ophelia had spilled the truth out, at least part of that truth, Aceline shook her head, rubbing her forehead. A moment after she’d hit Ophelia, shooting her a look. The message was clear behind it and Ophelia was quickly defending herself.

A roll of the eyes followed, more out of frustration than just mild annoyance before, without warning, Aceline swung her fist into Ophelia’s thigh. It wasn’t the leg with the injured knee so Aceline felt less bad about it than she would have otherwise but this wasn’t something to just blurt out! The side of her hand smarted where she’d hit Ophelia though she paid it little attention.

“Not say things like that, Ophelia! Don’t meddle, these are the basics!” she hissed back.

It wasn’t until Vali released her arm did she turn away from Ophelia and the glare she got in return for hitting her. Perhaps a little indignantly she rubbed at her arm despite the fact that he hadn’t actually hurt her, hand resting over the tattoo that had him so riled up in the first place. Explaining that tattoo, that was going to be even harder than the time travel thing and Aceline wasn’t even sure how to go about it if it all.

“I’m sure,” she scoffed under her breath at Vali’s assessment. Between her and Ophelia Cyril shifted.

Toying with the odd device in hand, unsure about what it might do, Cyril mulled over their options. It seemed they wouldn’t be getting anything like this. The two together was a bad combination to get answers from, anything this Ophelia might say might be hindered by her companion. This was something they would have to find a way around in time if the long-haired woman could not be swayed to cooperate better.

“A promising revelation but shocking nonetheless,” Cyril agreed, nodding to Vali, “though perhaps it is something best discussed tomorrow at the earliest. It is late.”

He let that sit in the air for a moment, ignoring the way the long-haired woman huffed. It seemed she might be hard to please though Cyril paid this little mind. There would be time enough to sway them both to the Templar cause, he was sure of it.

Gesturing towards the door, Ophelia’s device still in hand, he offered “why not have a quick tour of the church? It might do us all good for the walk.”

”No,” the long-haired woman answered immediately.

Cyril blinked, a little surprised by the indignation displayed to him as well. “Might I ask why?”

”Because I don’t like your face.”

The way she said this combined with the way she shot him a look was almost startling. Confusion welled up in Cyril at the odd answer. Surely she could have had a better explanation than that. Passing a glance Vali’s way he gave a minute shake of his head, unsure of how to deal with the more hostile of the pair.

Ophelia should have regretted what she said but she didn't know what to do. Remaining silent could very well be worse for them. Still, Aceline hit her thigh rather hard, warranting a flinch from Ophelia, before Aceline reprimanded her.

A hard frown tugged at her lips and she shot a glare her way. Aceline had turned away from her however, ignoring it. Ophelia wanted to argue but remained silent. Aggression left her nervous as it was. She had avoided a panic attack this far. She wanted to keep it that way if she could help it.

Vali cleared his throat briefly, glancing at the two after the display. The tension in the air suddenly thickened and Cyril seemed to notice it just as quickly as Vali had. Vali shook his head at that.

"That may be for the best," Vali agreed.

If they could get a little bit of this tension out of the way, perhaps one or the other might cooperate easier. It was hard to tell how this all would sway.

When Cyril suggested a quick tour around the church, Vali partly expected the both of them to take the chance. Instead, Aceline had quickly denied the offer. When asked for a reason why, she gave an odd answer.

Vali raised a brow, sparing a glance toward Cyril. Despite the misgivings, a small smile had tugged at Ophelia's lips. He shook his head at that, wondering if that was meant to be a compliment.

"An odd answer," he responded before waving a dismissive hand. "If you would prefer to remain here for the time, I will stay with you."

Ophelia rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand. Despite how Aceline had reacted, it was hard not to smile at the words and confusion that followed. She tried not to snicker at it either.

Eventually, she had calmed herself down a little. She shook her head briefly, trying not to dwell on it anymore than she had to. If they ended up staying here, no doubt they'd be gaining quite a few of these reactions.

"I'd like to see more of the church, if that's alright," she responded.

It seemed for the best. Even though Aceline had pulled a bit of a laugh out of Ophelia, things would be tense for a while. For the moment, she wanted to avoid that tension. The day had been stressful enough.

Cyril wasn’t quite sure what to say or do in response to the long-haired woman’s words. Glancing at Vali he seemed as confused by the answer as well. Perhaps this was normal of women, and people in general, of their time. Surely things would have changed drastically. They could not have been anywhere near their time if this information was true and judging from the device and their clothing there was little reason to doubt.

Shoving Ophelia’s phone into his robes for later he gestured for Ophelia to follow. At the very least one of them would take him up on his offer. Considering Vali offered to remain with the shorter tempered of the two Cyril had few concerns about leaving her here.

“If that is preferable I will not argue against it,” Cyril said.

Only when Ophelia had risen to her feet did he lead the way to the door and out into the hallway. The door latched behind them softly and whatever might happen between Vali and the other woman he would find out sooner or later. He certainly hoped the woman wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything reckless.

Glancing at Ophelia he lead the way down the hallway. There were all manner of things stretched along the edges for decoration and these seemed to catch her eye. The look on her face was almost one of wonder, a curiosity blatant in her gaze.

“An odd pair you are, not only in dress but personality as well,” he pointed out, if only to draw upon a conversation. He waited a beat before continuing, “I would rather hope that any reasons for distrust will be dispelled soon enough.”

It was a true enough sentiment. Cooperation between both parties would be best, especially to gather information and to keep them safe. Neither woman seemed to know how to handle themselves here. Just how much of a change was it from their home and time to where they found themselves now? Cyril found he was eager to know.

Their steps echoed down the hallway, empty of the others for the moment. Some of the other deacons here were busy in other parts of the church or had gone home. For the night Cyril and another would remain for those who came to seek sanctuary. It was a routine he was familiar with now though the misfortune’s children had certainly brought about a strange change in the air.

----[x]----

Though Ophelia seemed to find it funny, whether the confused looks on the men’s faces or just the answer Aceline had given, she was eager to leave the room. It had always been that way though when things got tense like this. Aceline wasn’t so much offended as she had been expecting this.

Aceline muttered something though it went ignored for the moment as Ophelia and Cyril left. He had noticeably not introduced himself though Aceline wasn’t bothered by this much. It wasn’t like she had to deal with him at the moment now.

True to his word, Vali remained, near her side for the moment. Conscious of this she kept her hand over the tattoo that had set him off seconds ago. Out of sight, out of mind—that’s what she told herself anyways. Aceline didn’t really believe something like that would deter him, not when he’d taken it as such a personal affront.

She found herself hesitant, unsure of what to do or say. It wasn’t like there was anything to mess with in the room. The table she sat at was a little bare with only a few candelabras set atop it and some odds and ends. Nothing that really drew Aceline’s attention though she might start messing with the melted candle wax to occupy herself if nothing else.

Trying to think of something to say left her at a loss. He had been a fictional character jut hours ago to her, it was hard to think of him as anything else. What could she say to him, what did anyone talk about in this time period? The reaction earlier left her a little more timid than she’d like to admit as well despite the fact that he hadn’t hurt her, she was quite aware that if he had a mind to he could.

Yet again she felt her gaze drifting back to him every so often, watching him from the corner of her eye. He still remained close, perhaps due to the lack of anything to do or maybe he had his own reasons for this. If he noticed her glancing at him in this fashion he hadn’t mentioned it yet.

“So, what?” she finally wondered, glancing up more fully at him, “just plan on standing there all night?”

Hell, if she didn’t agree to leave this room what would he do? It seemed like they had it in mind to keep them around now. Information she and Ophelia had would definitely be valuable to the Templars and that part left her concerned. She didn’t wish to be on this side of things.

Ophelia felt it best to get up and moving for a little while. Her own curiosity was gnawing at her anyways. She wanted to see the church while it was a little quiet.

Outside of the room, it was a little less tense. As they walked, her attention was mostly on her surroundings, tipping her head back once in a while to study what she could. The church was beautifully designed from top to bottom.

Only when Cyril spoke did her attention turn back toward him. She blinked up at him before her gaze turned away. Ophelia only offered a shrug in response. It didn't seem so strange to her but she'd known Aceline for a few years now.

"We have our ups and downs," she answered simply. "The situation has caused us both stress and I know she's only concerned in a way."

Between the two, she handled herself better. Ophelia wasn't someone who held a lot of confidence with this kind of thing. If Aceline wasn't here, Ophelia would have probably lost most of her will a long while ago.

"That might be harder for her," she carried on after a moment. "As for myself, I only said what I did in hopes that it would put us in a more favorable situation."

She was well aware in hindsight things could have been worse. For Ophelia, it didn't matter if they were assassins or Templars. Someone was helping them, getting them off the streets and out of harms way. That was what was most important.

Ophelia glanced up at him again. "What's your name?" she asked. Despite already knowing, she couldn't let him know that. She would wait for him to give his name instead.

----[x]----

The confusion hadn't quite passed as quickly as Vali would have liked. What was said left both men rather uncertain. If this was something from their era, he could only assume. Regardless, if one or the other went about spouting things like that, others might not take so well.

Vali left that unmentioned for the time being. Cyril and Ophelia had left the room shortly afterward. He glanced back at Aceline, catching the last bit of her mouth moving. Whatever was said was under her breath however.

He shifted his weight, sparing a glance around the room. It was bare and lacked much to do. Vali turned to his thoughts instead.

With that tattoo, Vali could only assume if she sympathized with the assassins. She hadn't said anything on the matter. If she had been, it was another era entirely. Perhaps things had changed from then. Swaying her decision might be possible at some point.

A shake of his head followed at that. He spared a glance at her. Aceline seemed a little unsure of what to do with herself. She decided not to take a walk around the church but had little to do here.

Eventually, her gaze drifted back to him and she spoke. Vali shook his head briefly in response to her words. "If I must," he answered simply. "You do not seem too eager to wander about, after all."

Vali didn't ask why that was. For all he knew, she simply didn't have it in her to get up and moving. He couldn't begrudge her that fact in a whole. The day must have been hard enough and the added stress no doubt strained her as well as her friend.

"You're quite the stubborn one," he noted after a brief moment. "I do hope that will not be the case forever. We are merely attempting to help you and your friend."

Ophelia seemed content merely observing the surroundings. They were so familiar to Cyril that he needn’t spare a passing glance though to newcomers they always seemed so fascinated. In a way Cyril envied them that. The tedium got to him some days though tonight was a welcome change, despite how few answers he’d received.

She blinked up at him with those eerie red eyes. It would take time to get used to those, he was sure. Unlike her friend who’d seemed content to look away if she could, Ophelia met his gaze rather evenly. An odd thing from a woman, perhaps another change from the time she was from.

“In a way?” he echoed carefully, “a funny way of showing it, that one.”

Cyril would say nothing else on the matter. There wasn’t a need to offend either or and as close as they seemed it might happen if Cyril wasn’t careful when he spoke about her friend. Nonetheless Ophelia had plowed on, unprovoked on the matter. In a way it seemed as if she was defending the other woman.

He chuckled at her honesty. Cyril couldn’t pretend to know how it might be harder for the other woman nor would he ask. Vali seemed to be taking it upon himself to watch over that one, after all. Whether or not their higher ups would change those accommodations would have to be seen in the coming days.

“Well, at least you are aware cooperation is your best bet,” Cyril complimented, clasping her shoulder briefly. She’d tensed under his touch.

Ophelia’s next question was a far cry from their conversation as it was. He blinked, glancing at her. Had he not introduced himself? It must have slipped his mind among the relief that they’d been found before the assassins had gotten to them or worse, they’d been hunted down for some imagined slight.

“Forgive me, I am Cyril. Cyril of Rhodes,” he said, gesturing to her, “and I never asked your name either, I’m afraid.”

----[x]----

Every so often Vali would shift his weight about. He didn’t seem to mind standing like that but it wasn’t really necessary. There was only one exit to this room and Aceline didn’t exactly have much of an idea to run away. Despite her unease this was the safest place at the moment. Even if she did want to dart off and find the assassins she couldn’t just leave Ophelia here on her own to get used.

Her thoughts weren’t exactly comforting, especially so when she tried to fish for something to say. At least talking, however awkward it might be would be better than dwelling on the things that flitted through her mind. It still took Aceline longer than she’d be willing to admit to bring herself to actually say anything.

Vali shook his head, indicating that he had every plan to do just that. Aceline’s brow furrowed at that. She wasn’t exactly planning on leaving and wandering the church anytime soon, he’d be standing for a long while unless she was coerced or forced out. She said nothing about any of that, instead nodding her head towards the chair Ophelia had previously occupied. It was a slight motion but he was observant, he had to be she was sure.

Whether or not he took the seat was up to him. There was still enough of that old fancrush she’d harbored for him when he’d been just a character in a game that she was more inclined to be less hostile if she didn’t need to be. He was at least contributing to the conversation, a relief for Aceline. She still had no idea what to talk about with him. What were typical conversations in this era? He hadn’t seemed to mind the silence but still…

For a moment she wasn’t sure what to say about his observation and the hope he’d mentioned. Aceline had always been a stubborn one and chances of that changing anytime soon were slim to none, especially so when she had Ophelia’s wellbeing to take into account, too. She shook her head, unsure of what to say to that.

Aceline offered a shrug. “I… I guess,” she answered, unable to think of anything further to add.

Carefully she tugged her sleeves down, hiding that tattoo again. The last thing she needed was for Vali to freak out over it again, assuming he would. With that done she’d wrapped her arms around her middle, still at a loss for what to talk about.

“I guess I’ll just mention the elephant in the room here,” Aceline began carefully, “am I just supposed to ignore your freak out not even two minutes ago?”

In a way she might feel better if she knew he wouldn’t do that again. Her heart had pounded hard against her ribs, half-afraid of what he might do. The bracer was easy to see when she knew what to look for, that hidden blade tucked away for quick use. That didn’t even mention the punching dagger at his side. If he thought her to be some sort of a threat, clearly harboring that grudge against the assassins even now for what he perceived as a betrayal who knew what he might do.

In between conversation, she would glance around. She liked to look at the stain glass here and there holding little doubt that they would be more impressive during the day. She had never really been in many churches like this in the past so it seemed like a lot to take in.

She had only occasionally glanced at him, meeting his gaze rather easily. Ophelia still didn't know how to feel about all of this. It had been a game but for the moment, this was reality, he was a person just like any other. That was what she was constantly telling herself now.

It was easy to meet his gaze then, even if it might have been strange to him. Her mother had always taught her to meet people's gazes when speaking. It was a habit that she had grown up with.

She spared a small smile at his words. "Sometimes we both do," she answered in return. She didn't expect him to understand. For all intents and purposes in their time, she and Aceline acted more akin to boys.

He clasped his hand over her shoulder, complimenting her for what she had said. Ophelia had tried not to tense under his touch but it was difficult.

"I'd just rather stay off the streets," she explained, a slight frown tugging at her lips. "I don't think we would have lasted long."

Ophelia waited to hear his name. For a moment, it looked like he was taken aback. She spared a small smile at that. Cyril introduced himself not a few moments after.

"Cyril than," she responded lightly. A moment later he was asking for her own even though he had heard it early. "My name is Ophelia."

Ophelia spared another glance around quietly. She hoped to be able to take in more of the church in the coming days. That was as long as they weren't relocated to some place else.

She spared another glance his way, pondering a few things like that. There was one question that had been bothering her for quite some time.

"Cyril...do you know why our eyes are red?" she inquired carefully. She'd feel better knowing that much, if there was a reason at all.

----[x]----

It was silent for a long few minutes. Vali didn't say much to stop that. The both of them seemed to have a lot on their mind. He could only assume what might be on hers. For himself however, it was that tattoo and the era they were from he worried about.

There was no telling what she might know about the history that would eventually pass this time. It could all be very valuable in use for the Templars cause.

He spared a glance, studying her expression for a brief moment. There was an expression of hesitance there before she'd nodded toward the chair that Ophelia had been in. Vali paused for a moment before he moved toward it and sat as well.

Eventually, she answered him, shrugging as he did so. Vali resisted a shake of his head. She had said that so hesitantly much like she had acted earlier.

"I am sure things will calm eventually," he answered carefully.

Vali knew he had already lost his temper once. She'd taken great pains to hide that tattoo away, tugging her sleeve down now. Perhaps she hoped that it would be forgotten for the time. Vali sighed through his nose at that.

When she next spoke, again, it was somewhat hesitant. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye before shaking his head.

"That symbol, the people who have followed it, have done me a great injustice," he replied carefully. "Whether you follow them or not, I suppose I should have controlled my temper."

That was a mere regret. Any kind of hostility toward her or her friend could very well put them off. The thought was shaken away before he glanced at her again.

"Tell me, do you know anything of the Ottomans? Did they fall?"

Vali felt himself anxious to know this much, if anything at all. Vali would wait as patiently as he could, watching her expression carefully. She appeared confused and then thoughtful. He hoped that in the very last showed some kind of promise.

Every so often he’d catch her glancing his way though he didn’t so much mind this. Compare to how she was dressed their own manner of style might have been something to see. Eventually she and her friend would need a change of clothes as well, at least then they would better blend in from a distance.

She was still shorter than he was though this wasn’t a surprise, he towered over many it seemed. At least those who often came to church he did. It wasn’t so much a surprise anymore as it was a fact of life. Still, she met his gaze evenly despite her situation. Perhaps it was because she was the one more apt to cooperate rather than her friend that she had an easier time doing so.

A chuckle passed his lips again at her assertion and truthfulness. Not many woud be that obvious about their intentions. Then again they were helping each other here at this point and Ophelia was well aware of it. That would make things easier in the future, Cyril was sure.

“Nothing wrong with that,” he pointed out lightly, “it merely makes it easier on both sides, I think.”

He nodded to her as they traded introductions. A strange name she had but then he’d heard odder in Constantinople as well. He’d keep that thought to himself to avoid offending her in some way. That would just make things harder on them later when they needed information from the pair of misfortune’s children.

It seemed that Ophelia had questions of her own however, asking about her own eyes. Cyril raised a brow at that, turning to glance at her. She was not observing the church décor now, her attention solely on him as if afraid to miss out on some vital information he could share.

“I am afraid that it is a mystery to all who know of misfortune’s children,” he said, gesturing to her, “though they are said to possess strange information or memories.”

----[x]----

It was quiet as Vali took the offered seat. Things were a little less awkward now that he wasn’t just standing there, at least for Aceline it was. Trying to guess at how Vali felt or what he was thinking was almost impossible for her. She had a few guesses but nothing more. In time it might be easier.

He was soon offering reassurances that things would settle eventually. Aceline spared another glance at him for that comment though said nothing about it. Whether or not that would be true would be seen soon enough and there wasn’t much to say in return. So, silence settled between them again for several minutes.

At some point she heard him sigh though Aceline couldn’t guess why. It wasn’t as if either was sharing what was on their mind though she figured that was for good cause. There was a lot on her own, much of which she was unsure about. It wouldn’t do much good to talk about them to a man she, personally, barely knew. Knowing bout him from a game was far different than knowing a person naturally and that thought left her hesitant. What if she let something slip?

Eventually she broke the silence, watching Vali’s face—or what she could see of it—for his reaction. The confusion was clearly there in the brief tilt of his head and the way his mouth was set. Aceline fussed with her glasses at that realization, pushing them up the bridge of her nose. It would be a long while before any odd communication barriers were broken through, it seemed.

Knowing what she did about what this injustice was against him Aceline found herself a little surprised at the apology. She would have figured he’d be more upfront about his feelings on the matter, rigid even. Perhaps it had something more to do with the situation in a whole that he act like this instead.

“It’s,” she paused then, shaking her head a little, “it’s fine.”

That was a lie, it wasn’t fine but even then Aceline had never been great at holding grudges. In time, after nursing her wounds she’d get over it whether or not her attitude and reactions were justified. It wasn’t something she’d point out though; if anything it could be used against her later and she’d like to avoid that.

Vali was the one to break the silence this time, drawing her attention more fully to him. For a moment she could only blink at him before she shook her head and offered a shrug.

“Yeah, I-I guess,” she started, trying to answer carefully, “I mean, they must have at some point but… I don’t really know though, it’s not really anything that I was taught.”

Why she was telling him this Aceline wasn’t sure. She could only imagine it had something to do with the already half-formed feelings she’d nursed for him as a fictional character. If Cyril had been asking this Aceline had no doubt she’d say nothing on the matter.

» story of my life. lol
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