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

Ophelia ran her hand through her hair. It was getting a little longer and thicker. She missed her hair hugging her head. Most women had rather long hair here and she was advised to grow her bangs out to help hide her eyes. Now that it was becoming lighter, she knew that she'd stick out more.

"Well, there's that," she agreed, letting her hand fall back into her lap. She toyed with the cotton blanket a little, not sure what to do just yet.

He was urging her to sleep if she needed to. Ophelia was aware that she needed just that. She wanted a lot of sleep if she was honest with herself. She just couldn't manage it.

"I really want to sleep," she told him, "I just can't manage it."

It almost seemed like the harder she tried, the more it tried to escape her. She was getting frustrated with it and herself. That led to impatience, as much as she hated to admit it. Emotionally, she was well aware she was crashing.

"A distraction would help. Most of what I normally would turn to doesn't exist here though."

----[x]----

Vali was careful about where he sat. He'd keep a respectable distance. They still knew little of each other, after all. There was no need to cross lines. For now, he'd remain sat up.

She quickly placed a pillow over her head, blocking out any light that might have cracked through the window. There was much of it. The room was rather dark but it didn't seem to be enough.

"Is there anything I could do to help ease the pain?" he inquired after a long moment. Hot water might have helped though Vali wasn't sure. He knew little of such things.

Her response had been rather simple. She didn't seem worse off then when he left. When he had separated her from Ophelia, he half expected her to shut him out for a long while. He found in the weeks that passed, that hadn't been the case

"Perhaps when you are feeling well, we may take a walk," he suggested, "I doubt you have seen much since I have been gone."

She wasn't able to go far thanks to those red eyes of hers. In the church, she would have been protected like her friend was. Here, any glimpse could rally a group to cause harm to her. Vali had to be careful about just where he took her.

Cyril didn’t respond further about her hair turning gray while she was still young. Stranger things happened, her red eyes being one such thing after all. It was inconsequential even if her self-esteem did seem to take a hit from it. Cyril shook the thought away, brooding on it would do her little good.

When he motioned that she should get some sleep if she felt she could Ophelia shook her head. It seemed there would be no trying. Cyril did not bother to mention how that would not help matters at all; it might just start a squabble.

“If that is what you wish,” he relented. All the same, Cyril reached out to pat her shoulder reassuringly. She looked as if she needed a bit of bolstering with her friend gone.

Really, it was amazing how worse off she seemed to be, if not more compliant. Cyril would need to try harder if that was the case. It wasn’t like putting the two girls back together would help when Aceline was so against helping the Templar cause. Perhaps Vali was making some amount of progress in the days that had passed though Cyril did not hold his breath. Changes like that did not happen so quickly.

“Perhaps you might do a bit of writing or drawing,” Cyril offered. He couldn’t be sure of her hobbies and talents but either of these would give her something to distract herself with.

----[x]----

It was a little surprising that Vali was asking for something to do to ease her headache though Aceline wasn’t quite sure why that was. Perhaps it had been because he was often so busy and sometimes rather impatient with her. It wasn’t a secret that she was rather introverted, content just to keep to herself most days rather than to seek him or his other family members out for company.

She shook her head carefully trying not to agitate her head further. It did little good however. “No, it’ll be fine.”

Having someone set up a bath for her wasn’t something she was exactly comfortable with. It was a long, tedious process and she’d rather do it herself even if it meant taking all that time to do so. Though a bath might help she wasn’t exactly up for waiting long for one. She’d live without it for now.

It was quiet for a few beats before Vali spoke again, offering to take her for a walk when she felt better. The idea wasn’t bad, she couldn’t go further than the cel Tradat’s property stretched and in this crowded city she still had to take care. It was a large property all things considered but sitting around in it and pacing its length made it seem smaller than it was over time.

“I wouldn’t mind that,” she answered finally. It would be something to look forward to at least, when her head no longer throbbed so violently.

Ophelia wasn't sure if she could really explain the extent of her attacks. She didn't see much point in it either. If it happened, Cyril would see for himself. She just held out hope that it wouldn't.

He dropped the subject on sleeping upon her last protest against it. She knew all she'd do was lay there, trying to drift off to sleep that would never take her. She just wished she could clear her mind, breath easier, and move on.

A hand clasped her shoulder, leaving a brief, pleasant feeling run through her. She tried to ignore it for the time being. He offered comfort in the best way he was able to, that was all.

"Hmmm, I guess I could write," she answered his suggestion, "If you have any paper."

She'd more or less exhausted the books that the church provided. There was always something to do or observe. Ophelia had to be careful despite that. Her eyes were a tell tale sign for these people.

"I don't want to be too much of a bother to you," she added after a brief moment, "You might have better things to do with your time."

----[x]----

Vali was quiet while he waited on her to answer. There wasn't much else he could do. The room was dark and Aceline sat far from him. She lay in a heap as if that would ward her headache away.

She shot down his idea to have a bath drawn. Maybe she didn't want anyone to go through the trouble. It seemed she didn't quite care how the servants here were treated. Vali simply ignored such things for the time.

"If you are certain," he answered her, "Perhaps another time?"

Whether she liked it or not, a bath might do her wonders in time. The servants were here to take care of the labor aspect. Maybe in time, she'd grow used to it.

He sat back, waiting on her to speak again. Aceline didn't seem to be in a talkative mood. She rarely was however. She'd clammed up even worse at points since she and her friend were separated.

"A walk then," he said, nodding as if confirming this, "I do hope your headache leaves you eventually. Are you certainly I can not get you anything?"

The air was still warm. He could get her water or a cool cloth. Perhaps it would help when it was so muggy. He wouldn't know unless she said something however.

Ophelia seemed to have grown thoughtful after he’d clasped her shoulder briefly. If she minded the contact she hadn’t said anything of it. Perhaps she was the sort who liked physical contact while they communicated with others. Cyril couldn’t be sure of that assumption of course, but he would take care to remain in her comfort zone as best he could.

A moment later she spoke up, mentioning the idea of writing. He spared a nod at that, seeing no harm in it. At the very least it would give her something to do while he was busy during the day.

“There might be some paper that we can scrounge up for you later,” he answered. “It should not be a problem.”

Why she continued to think that it would be he could not say. Perhaps she was merely doing her best not to overstep any boundaries. Cyril could say that, at the very least, Ophelia was cautious. That might be more than what could be said for her friend.

“It is my duty to watch over you,” Cyril reminded her. It seemed she needed it from time to time. If that meant taking time out of his day to make sure she had something to do then that’s what would happen.

He shook his head and clasped his hands behind his back as they walked. They hadn’t gone too far from the church. At least this way if someone caught sight of Ophelia’s red eyes and tried to cause a riot or a mob because of it then it would be a quick trip back to the building, which would lead to Ophelia’s safety. Not everyone would listen to a deacon if they were riled up enough, after all.

----[x]----

Vali seemed like he wanted to help somehow though Aceline was sure he was getting frustrated because she kept denying his ideas. She was far too wary about what addictive drugs might be considered medication in this time period and place as it was. That left her avoiding anything of the sort as best she could. The others weren’t bad ideas so much as they were ones that involved Aceline moving and increasing the throbbing in her head when she would do so.

“Maybe,” she agreed tentatively. It might help to placate him a little this way.

She felt the mattress shift a little as Vali moved. Maybe he was just trying to get comfortable and since Aceline had asked for his company she figured he had every right to. All the same there was quite a bit of distance between them. Aceline wondered if he did that because of respect for her personal space or because she had been rather introverted and maybe a little standoffish so far with him.

If nothing else he was trying to reach out to her all the same. Guilt washed over Aceline at that even as she was aware that he might only be doing so for information out of her later. She tried to shake the feeling away as their conversation continued.

It took her a moment to think about it. Vali was once again asking if she needed anything after all. Maybe letting him do something for her might make him feel a little better at least. Finally, she pushed herself up onto an elbow, her free hand rubbing her forehead to try to assuage the pain. All the same Aceline attempted a small smile though she couldn’t be sure how sincere it looked.

“Well… if there’s anything good for a queasy stomach that I can eat, that’d be nice,” she admitted. Aceline had avoided eating once her headache had evolved into a migraine, her stomach churning at the idea of food. It left her hungry even if she knew most foods would only come back up if she tried to eat them.

She didn't mind the brief touch. Opehlia tried not to put too much stock into however. It was merely something to comfort her and nothing more. Still it was strange knowing that she was essentially in a past and game that she'd played beforehand. It was all very jarring.

"Thank you," she answered, "I really appreciate it."

The thoughts might have been irrational but she did feel like she was taking his time. Ophelia knew it was just something hardwired in her. She was brought up this way, to be considerate of everyone before herself.

"I know," she told him after he spoke up about it, "I'm just not used to it is all...being looked after."

Ophelia spent so much time taking care of herself or her family that someone taking care of her was almost a foreign concept. It really did feel odd to her when she thought about it.

"I spent most days working, I forgot what it was like," she elaborated further, "It's going to take a long time to adjust."

----[x]----

Vali waited quietly and as patiently as he could allow himself. He kept a distance between them. There was no reason to make her uncomfortable. Aceline was in pain as it was. He didn't want to irritate her by drawing any closer.

When she spoke, it was soft and sounded more like a grumble. The pain that must have been ailing her put her in quite a crippling state. He'd never met anyone who had it this bad.

Another beat of silence came and went. An occasional breeze brushed by, moving the curtain that blocked out any daylight. Other than that, most everything was still.

Eventually she asked for something easy to eat. Vali hummed a little in response. What could he find that would help her? He reached out, patting her shoulder gently.

"I will find something," he replied, "If you are in need of anything else, stop someone. I know it may be hard to manage but I'd rather see you well and asking for some aid."

She had closed herself off to just about everyone. Vali had mulled over if his decision was the correct one. He shoved it aside for the time being to rise to his feet.

"I will return soon," he stated before he left the room, intending to get her something easy to eat.

Cyril spared a nod as Ophelia thanked him. It wasn’t necessary though he would not mention that. If nothing else she did appear grateful for the little things. That alone made it simple to keep her content in the church. If it had been otherwise Cyril could not imagine she’d be even so much as willing to remain in the building for as long as she had so far.

It did not take long to find out why Ophelia felt the way she did. Though he had not asked for it, the explanation came. He mulled that over, wondering yet again what kind of life she had led before this. The claim of time travel was still quite the strange one though it did explain much if it was true. His higher ups did want him to pry for answers about that, to try to confirm if it was truth or not as it was.

“There is time enough for that adjustment,” Cyril pointed out. Honestly, there was no rush about it. So far the assassins did not seem to be aware of Ophelia’s existence and location and so there was no need to relocate her yet. As far as he was aware the same could be said for her friend.

He glanced away from her and around the people that made up the crowd in the square they’d wandered around in. All sorts of colors could be seen here, especially in the clothes of those that had money to their name. It made for a fascinating little group of people to glance through. None of the conversations Cyril could hear around them proved as interesting however, at least not to him; Ophelia might very well think differently.

“Speaking of, you are not growing tired yet, are you?” he wondered. They had been wandering for some time now after all.

----[x]----

Occasionally Aceline could feel a brief breeze pass through the room from the windows. It wasn’t as strong as it might have been if she’d left the thick curtains open. For the time being that wasn’t something she was going to do, even if the breeze helped combat the mugginess in the air. Once her head ceased hurting she might pull the curtains back for the day, if it passed before nightfall at least.

When she asked for something to eat Vali was quiet for a second or two, the only answer being a hum at first. Aceline didn’t rush him. His family had servants for most everything here after all, he might not know what all they had to be prepared due to that. All the same he reached out to pat her shoulder and assure her he’d find something.

The brief bit of contact was a surprise. The last time he’d reached out like this was to grab her arm to see the assassin tattoo in it’s fullest. Aceline didn’t dwell on it too much, the thought leaving as soon as a particularly bad wave of pain rushed through her head.

Aceline nodded carefully as Vali stood. “Uh, yeah… sure…”

If her uncertain reply bothered him he didn’t let it be known, instead he’d headed off to the kitchen to do as he promised. Aceline carefully shook her head at that, lying back down afterwards. Instead of throwing the pillow back over her head she slung her arm over her eyes for the time being. If Vali did find something for her she’d need to sit up anyways.

In a bid to ignore the pounding against her temples Aceline mulled things over. Vali had seemed to grow a little distant in the last few days, perhaps because of her attitude and preference to being left alone. It was strange to see him being like this, so… The thought stopped there, a thoughtful frown tugging at her lips. ’So what…?’ she prompted herself. ’Caring?’ After a moment she decided that wasn’t the exact word though it was the closest.

Ophelia was quiet for a bit, occasionally glancing over to a stand or a person. No one noticed her red eyes, at least not yet and for that she was relieved. She didn't feel she was so important that a riot would need to be started.

He mentioned she would have plenty of time to adjust. In some sense, she would have time. In another, she knew that old habits would die hard. She constantly worried about how she presented herself to others in the time.

"I'm sure," she replied after a bit, trying to ignore any wariness she did feel.

Ophelia didn't know how to answer him when he asked if she was tired. She was always tired. She realized that a long time ago. Deep sleep or very little sleep, it all felt the same.

"I can't really say. I'm always tired anymore," she finally told him.

Panicking really didn't help matters. Her mind was often bogged down with thoughts during the night. She couldn't bring herself to sleep during the day and if she did, it was a very light slumber at that. Without sleeping aids, she was stuck until her body decided it needed a good nights rest.

----[x]----

Vali had to mull over what to do as he wandered down the hall. Aceline was pulling away more so than he would have expected. He was doing his best but his patience was being tested incredibly so. He began to question is exasperating the two was really a good idea.

He shook it from his mind as he wandered into the kitchen. It was an easy task to ask one of the servants to make something easy for Aceline to eat. A bit of soup and a slice of bread would hopefully do her some good.

Time passed seemingly rather slow. The meal was prepared carefully and when presented to him, he took the bowl and bread. The broth steamed and it was easy to see some herbs floating in it. He hoped this would help her stomach and head.

The walk back wasn't a long one. He pushed his way into her room once again. She was still in a heap on her bed. The pain had obviously not passed. Vali pitied her a little bit.

Walking in, he sat the bowl and bread on a nearby desk. She could eat when she wanted to.

"I hope this will do you some good," he told her, "It will at least go down easy. I would rather not see you ill."

Though Ophelia agreed that she’d grow accustomed to the change in her life eventually she did not sound enthused or even content with that knowledge. Instead she merely sounded exhausted. Eventually he asked if she was growing tired, all the walking could take it out of her if she was not used to it. It would be simple to find a place to sit and rest or to even head back to the church for now.

Whatever answer Cyril had been expecting it was not the one he received. For a moment he mulled it over before shaking his head. “Seems there is little to do about it then.”

If that was the case for her then Cyril would not worry too much about it. Ophelia would know how best to handle herself with her exhaustion, or so he would assume. If this was a long running trend in her life then she very well should have some idea of how to take care of herself with that hanging over her head. Cyril would not coddle her about it further.

For now Cyril would keep an eye on her health instead, exhaustion was one thing but illness was another. If she came down with anything he would have to act swiftly and find a doctor. Whether or not Ophelia would like that did not factor into the equation, a sickness could easily make a turn for the worst.

“Let us not dwell on such things,” Cyril offered, gesturing towards her as he did so. “For now just enjoy the day.”

It truly was a nice day. The sun shone down brightly between cloud cover, warming Cyril’s back. If not for his hood it might have been a bit blinding at points. Thankfully Constantinople provided many shadows for those who had the intent to seek them out and hide away from the sun’s rays. For the time being Cyril was not one of those people and even if he was he would merely return to the church or to his Templar brethren nearby.

----[x]----

Aceline didn’t know how long it took Vali to retrieve something from the kitchen. There wasn’t any kind of timepiece for Aceline to use to keep track of the minutes that passed even if she wanted to and she was always horrible with keeping track of time otherwise. In the end it didn’t matter much anyways when the pain didn’t subside during that span of time.

The door opening and the sound of footsteps announced Vali’s arrival. Though she squeezed her eyes shut at the noises she did not voice a complaint. It wasn’t like he was intentionally making noise, after all, and they were rather soft ones as it was. Aceline was glad for Vali’s training in that moment, someone who’d followed the assassins would need to know how to be stealthy and quiet.

She pushed herself up before opening her eyes to see Vali place the bowl of broth and the chunk of bread on the bedside table. There was no way that Aceline could tell what flavor the broth might be until she tasted it but at least the sight and smell of it didn’t make her stomach churn in disgust. Whether or not the bread would stay down was another question however.

Vali spoke then, diverting her attention back to him. She blinked up at him, her glasses gone from her face for the time being. His features were fuzzy to her at the moment and try as she might Aceline couldn’t quite make out the expression on his face due to that and the shadows of his hood.

“It’s just a migraine,” she insisted, turning to reach for the bowl of broth. Anything that stayed in her stomach was welcome right now and the smell was rather nice. “They come and go.”

For Ophelia, it was difficult to admit she couldn't get much sleep. In the past, she'd even been prodded to do something about it by her peers. Time and money hadn't quite allowed it.

"Not unless you know of any sleeping medications," she told him. Even then, she'd be hesitant to try anything.

Cyril seemed to dismiss it for the time being, focusing on the day ahead. It was muggy, not something she entirely enjoyed, but at least the sun was shining. She tried to focus on the positive.

"It is a nice day," she agreed with him. She wasn't sure how many nice ones would come about. Ophelia had little idea of how the weather patterns worked in this area of the world.

She spared a glance down as a child wandered by. For a moment, she caught that little boys eyes before looking away quickly. She cleared her throat awkwardly, hoping the boy would think he was merely seeing things.

"What do people do around here?" she asked instead, "I don't really know much about this place. All I ever see is people selling things."

----[x]----

Vali stepped back, allowing her some room and comfortable space. She didn't seem to take too well with him too close. Being able to reach out once was a surprise to him. Perhaps he would test the waters later on as well.

Aceline finally moved, sitting up to peer at him. From the way she sat, he could see how tired she looked. A little worry tugged at him, even after she explained that it was nothing.

"You look pale," he pointed out instead.

The light was low but despite this, he could see how she appeared. Vali hoped that this was exactly as she said. If it was mere head pain, it would eventually pass.

He motioned to the bowl instead, trying not to focus on that nagging worry. Something in her stomach might due her some good. If she needed anything else, all she needed to do was ask him. Sometimes, he wondered if that was difficult for her.

"Please, eat," he encouraged before he let his hand fall back to his side, "It is not much but it may help."

Vali could only hope that she would try and choke it down if she didn't care for the taste. It was better than taking it back.

Cyril hummed thoughtfully at the mention of sleep medication. Had she been on any before arriving here? If so then that might explain a bit more. Truthfully, Cyril knew little of medication. If she were insistent on such things then he would need to locate a doctor for her that would not try to betray Cyril’s trust once it was clear that Ophelia was a Misfortune’s Child.

His musings on such things were broken when Ophelia agreed that the day was nice. Perhaps that was for the best; there would be time for brooding later. Right now, he had to keep an eye out and make sure no one glimpsed Ophelia’s eyes and decided to act upon their fear.

“A day meant for working outside,” he agreed further. Working within the church did not always allow him much freedom, especially combined with his work for the Templar Order. All the same his position as deacon helped to lead many from sinful paths, even if he no longer believed in a higher being watching and judging them all.

It seemed this agreement was all Ophelia needed to wonder about the normal day for those within Constantinople. Cyril cocked his head to one side, wondering how best to answer that. He knew very well how he spent his days but those differed greatly from others who might be poorer or richer and even led different occupations. These factors mattered in the long run.

“It depends upon who you ask. Much of my day is spent working and dealing with others after all,” he finally pointed out.

----[x]----

Aceline blinked up at Vali after he mentioned she looked pale. Curious, she placed a hand on her cheek, as if that would somehow confirm it. Did she really look that ill? She would have shaken her head then if not for the intense throbbing already pounding at her temples.

Before she could say anything Vali was urging her to eat. Aceline moved to do just that, careful as she picked up the bowl. For the moment she’d ignore the chunk of bread, unsure if she’d be able to hold down solid food right now. Tentatively she sipped at the broth, allowing it to settle in her stomach before she’d try to drink more. The aftertaste of it caused her stomach to roll a little though nothing further. Aceline tried not to wrinkle her nose at the taste, instead choosing to drink more. At the very least her stomach was no longer aching so badly.

It was a little awkward to sit and try to eat while Vali remained nearby so silently. Though she was rather at odds with him it would have been more comfortable to have him sitting on the bed with her at the very least. Despite that though she didn’t mention it.

Aceline couldn’t say that the food helped her headache but at least an empty stomach wasn’t something she had to worry about now. Carefully she set the bowl back down, half empty. When she could stand to stomach more, either because she was hungry again or could stand the taste, she would sip at it some more. It was at least something to do, something to try to take her mind off the dull throbbing. Hands on her lap, she glanced at Vali afterwards. He still remained here with her for whatever reason that kept him.

“If you’re going to stay you might as well sit somewhere,” she offered finally.

Cyril hadn't said much about her request. Maybe medications to help sleep were something of a rarity here. That's what she assumed as least. Ophelia didn't pretend to know much about this time much less the herbs that might grow here.

Ophelia could only hope. These restless nights left her nerves shot. Small panic attacks hit here and there. She hated to think of what would happen if a bad one took hold. That was the hardest to deal with alone...

Cyril's words were simple, being outside seemed to be something that might be quite liked. She didn't really know how often he was out and about. For all she knew, he was within the church quite often. She couldn't really say.

She rubbed at one of her eye. It had started aching here and there. She assumed that it must have been the lack of sleep. For the moment, she brushed it off and spoke, "At least it's a dry heat."

Growing up in a place so humid that it made her sick was something she never enjoyed. She could take the dry heat here, even if it was still sweltering.

Ophelia hummed in response to his explanation. It was a simple one. When she looked around, she noticed guards here and there. All kinds of people roamed. If anything, it was a little interesting.

"At least it's interesting to watch," she answered after a moment, "Thought I've never been fond of the hustle and bustle..."

----[x]----

For a brief moment, she looked confused when he mentioned she looked ill. Did she really not think that she appeared as such? She was pale and dark bags had formed under her eyes.

How many days had she been like this? Vali had things to tend to outside of his home, after all. Leaving for only a short time, he almost forgot what she looked like with a little color to her cheeks.

Vali shook his head briefly. He watched as she slowly took small sips of the broth. Perhaps it would settle her head and help her sleep. That very much seemed like what she needed. From what he had heard, Aceline didn't seem to care for the medicine here. In time, she might change her mind to it.

He tugged the chair around, taking a seat now that she had said it. For a moment, he studied her before he rubbed his jaw, mulling things over.

"You certainly have been isolating yourself," he pointed out after a moment, "Though, I suppose I can see why that is."

Apart from her discomforts, he had taken Aceline from her friend. If she held a grudge about that, she didn't voice it. For all he knew, she didn't have the energy.

"I hope this is helping you," he carried on, pointing at the soup, "Though, I know little of your condition."

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