"Do it. For the plot."
- - - -
Vittoria St. James is a walking paradox. She is stuck on the outside of her family's inside circle because of her alliance to her parents. She tries distracts herself with the night life but is never happy too...
The air felt heavier than usual as I stood outside Niobe's cabin, my hand wrapped around Vittoria's. My palm was slick with sweat, but I wasn't about to let go. This moment--it felt too important to let mu nerves ruin it. The cabin, tucked deep in the forest, was almost like something out of a dream. The wood was old, sturdy. blending into the trees like it had always been a part of the forest. This place was more than just a cabin--it was a refuge, a place that had seen more of me than most people ever would.
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And now, with Vittoria standing beside me, I felt the weight of what I was about to do. Introducing her to Niobe was like crossing a line, combing two parts of my life that I'd always kept separate. I glanced at Vittoria, trying to read her expression. She was staring at the cabin, her eyes wide and full of something I couldn't quite place--curiosity, maybe? Or was it awe?
I gave her hand a squeeze, just enough to get her to look at me. "You okay?" I asked, my voice low, almost like I was afraid to break the moment up.
She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... I don't know. This place feels special."
Her words made me smile. "It is," I said.
We stood there for another moment, letting the silence settle around us. Then, before I could second-guess myself, I reached out with my free hand and knocked on the door. The sound seemed to echo, carried away by the wind and the trees.
I felt Vittoria tense beside me, and I had to fight the urge to pull her closer. I didn't want her to be nervous, but I got it. Meeting Niobe-- it wasn't something you cold really prepare for. She had a way of seeing straight through people, of knowing things about them they didn't even know about themselves.
The door creaked open, and there she was-- Niobe, in all her wisdom and quiet power. Her hair was streaked with silver, her eyes sharp and knowing, but there was a warmth in her smile that put me at ease every time.
"Cirus," she said, her voice like a soft melody. "You've brought someone with you."
I swallowed, suddenly aware of how tight my throat felt. "Yeah, Niobe, this is Vittoria."
Vittoria tace a small nervous wave, but there was something about the way she looked at Niobe-- like she knew this woman was important to me and wanted to make a good impression.
Niobe's gaze flickered between us, and I could see the gears turning in her head. "Vittoria," she said, her tone thoughtful, like she was tasting the name. "It's good to meet you. Come in, both of you."
We stepped inside, and immediately, the familiar sent of herbs and wood smoke wrapped around me. The cabin was simple--nothing flashy, just practical and full of history. The walls were lined with shelved, each one holding something that meany something to Niobe. A bundle of sage here, a worn book there, little pieces of the world she'd collected over the years.
