RP:Accusation Number Two
Part of the Larketian Fault Lines Arc
Summary: Pilar agrees to meet with Alvina after news of the Larket Witch Dectector has reached the public via The Larketian Herald. After a long fight with Hudson about the project, the bard has to explain her actions to Pilar, who points out that in the same issue there's an article about a witch being executed without a trial. It all starts to make Alvina doubt her stance on the crown's policy regarding witches...surely her best friend wouldn't lie to her, right?
Restaurant
Pilar had stopped answering Alvina's letters the moment she'd seen the paper. As the letters became more worried, she began to feel bad, and eventually responded with a short and to-the-point request that they meet. And here she was now, at the halfway point between their homes, waiting. A copy of the Larketian Herald was on the table before her. The article about Alvina was circled, but so too was the one about Sirena Cross, the woman murdered by Macon without trial. She wanted to believe in Alvina's good heart, but the business with Larewen and Khitti had cut her deep. She took a sip of water from her glass.
Alvina had come from an appointment and was running late. Her hair was a frizzy, crimson mess by the time she made her way through the door of the restaurant with Luna and Harper on either hip. Marge had the day off, so Alvina was running her errands with the tykes. When she spots Pilar, relief washes her features and she gives the vampiress a broad smile while passing her table. "One second, I'm going to get the girls drinks. Would you like something? My treat." She offers, before struggling to the counter to place the order and navigating two fussy toddlers back to see Pilar. "Girls, give aunt Pilar kisses..." Alvina commands and the girls both purse their lips and kiss the flat of their hand before trying to tap Pilar with their kissed hand. Luna is more insistent, standing and pressing her chubby hand against Pilar's leg while Harper just repeatedly kisses her hand and taps Pilar's side of the table like she's making a pile and Aunt Pilar can collect the kisses before she goes.
Pilar couldn't help but smile. They were so precious. She kissed both her hands and cupped the little girls' cheeks. “It's so nice to see you two. You've gotten so big!” She looked up at Alvina. “I'm fine, thank you.” Pilar couldn't get over how Alvina had referred to her as 'aunt Pilar.' Her heart melted just a little bit, along with her anger. “Alvina... I'm sorry I haven't been responding. I just... I've been... emotional lately. Assuming the worst of people, snapping at my housemates... I should have just said something.” Pilar tapped the Larketian Herald. “I saw the article about you...”
Alvina didn’t notice the paper when she came in but she saw it now, as the girls clambered for Pilar’s attention, tugging on her clothes. The waitress comes over to deliver their order of two milks and a lemonade and the girls take their lid cups and toddle around under the table like it’s a fort. Alvina eyes the paper like a snake and frowns before speaking. “I’ve been hearing that a lot lately…” A flash of a smile before her lips fall back to a straight line. “But I hope you know I’m involved so I can hopefully make a difference in the community.”
Pilar took a deep breath and sighed. “Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, in the land of Granceval, there were a people known as the gitanos. They weren't very well liked. Everyone thought they were criminals, simply because they were different. Eventually, the king decided that the gitanos needed to be tracked, so he made them register. Then, he decided their constant moving was a problem, so he gathered them into camps. Then he decided it cost too much to keep them fed and sheltered, so he had them killed. There are no gitanos left in Granceval today. The end.” Pilar looked up at Alvina. “I couldn't save my people. I was too weak. But I will be da-- I will not see history repeat itself here, with the witches.”
Alvina listened, the two girls playing and laughing beneath the table still when Pilar’s story finished. “That’s the opposite of what I want to happen to the witches. Yes, they have to register but so do the mages in the college. It’s a safety procotion for all magic users, not just the witches. And I helped build this machine - “ Her finger presses into the article, against her own name, “ To do the very same thing. Protect the witches, clear their name from unjust prosecution. I don’t want anyone to be a prisoner of anyone else ever again. I’ve been kidnapped more times than I care to admit. I wouldn’t wish the helplessness on anyone else.” The lemonade tastes bitter in her mouth, she opens the lid and adds another teaspoon of sugar.
Pilar was relieved to hear that Alvina meant well. But sadly, that wasn't how the machine was working. “The arrests of witches has gone up since you built that thing, Alvina. You might have meant to help them, but Macon and Josleen aren't using it that way. It's like a sword. In the hands of someone like Hildegarde, it's a tool for justice. In the hands of someone like... In the hands of a bandit, it's the opposite.” Pilar played with the corner of the newspaper. “You know they executed a witch without trial?”
Alvina’s face scrunched in disbelief. Josleen wouldn’t, would she? “No, I hadn’t.” What had Hudson said? The media was siding with the Crown? If that was the case, why was that in the papers? Was it in the papers? Alvina wasn’t sure, feels a little more sick to her stomach. The lemonade is too bitter, still, after three teaspoons of sugar. Luna and Harper are playing ‘patty cake’ with their milk glasses and empty, kiss covered hands. Their little voices ring up from under the table, Luna leans back against Pilar’s legs and giggles in the middle of the game. Alvina’s face is shadowed with concern.
Pilar showed Alvina the article. “And there's a CHARMING opinion piece on the back page saying how the witch didn't deserve one, because trials are 'gifts' not a right. I don't care what they thought she did, everyone deserves a fair trial. Innocent until proven guilty, right? So as far as I'm concerned, they murdered an innocent witch.”
But why? To send a message to the witch population? “If it’s so bad, why don’t the witches leave? There are so many other places they could go. That’s what I’d do if I thought I was in danger. Larket isn’t special...if the rulers are malicious…” And she hadn’t directly said they were, “Why can’t they just go somewhere else?”
Pilar shook her head. “It's their home. Why should they HAVE to leave? I mean, I never had a home before Hollow, so I kind of agree with you, but at the same time... If I had a place where I'd grown up, where all my friends were... I wouldn't want to give it up. Plus, it's expensive to move. And risky.”
Alvina shook her head, feeling like every person that defending witches was on Valrae’s side. It was a slight bias she’d developed, but still she wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt. Especially not someone who didn’t have a trial. “Because that’s not something that has to do with racisim! People have to move all the time for other reasons. Losing their jobs or other bad things. Life just isn’t fair. They shouldn’t have to leave but they should if it’s in their best interest. Being stubborn to make a point doesn’t solve anything and apparently gets you murdered!” Alvina points her finger down again, on the paper, the girl’s go quiet hearing their mother’s voice full of tension. Alvina exhales into her hands, draws them back to hide her face. “Situations can be changed. Life and death can’t be. It isn’t like there’s an active force to keep the witches IN Larket specifically...” Any excuse in the book to believe Josleen isn’t guilty. Anything to excuse her friend’s temporary madness.
Pilar narrowed her eyes. “It's easy for you to say. You have the resources to go wherever you want. The witches don't. The only money they get is a pittance for back-breaking labor, barely enough to buy food, and they're forced to live in that filthy camp if they want work at all. A camp with a curfew. A camp where dozens were shot by guards during a protest, myself among them.” Pilar tilted her head to show off the scar on her throat. “So forgive me if I'm a bit testy.”
Alvina frowned. “I haven’t always had them, but I’ve always found a way out of bad situations because of the sacrifice of others. People can give them resources, people already do.” Alvina didn’t want to out right say Hudson was giving money to the resistance, didn’t know if Pilar was involved and couldn’t risk saying anything that could put them in danger even though she supported the same cause. “I’m sorry that you were shot...I’m sorry things are the way they are right now in Larket….” It wasn’t her fault but she felt like their opinions were different. Alvina was naive. She didn’t want to see the damage being done so she...wouldn’t. Not until it was too late.
Pilar hummed. “Yeah... It's just a big mess right now. I'm planning to go to the camp, see if there's anything they need. Feminine supplies, new clothes, cookies, a hug, you know. Even the littlest things help, sometimes.”
Alvina smiles at the idea of Pilar walking around giving out hugs to people. “Hugs are always in short supply…” She agrees, the girls now sensing the storm has passed and crawl back up to tug on Pilar’s clothes again and try to wiggle into her lap. Harper is the outgoing type, while Luna hangs back and tries to get Alvina to hold her, which she does. “If you see…” It was a half thought, something she didn’t want to think about or know. She looked dejected, like she’d been caught doing something wrong. She clears her throat and tries again. “If you hear about a woman named Valrae in any camp...please let me know immediately.” What would you do Alvina, if you found out she was there? Her expression is serious but otherwise unreadable. Whatever she’s asking is of grave importance.
Pilar picked up Harper and gave her a raspberry kiss on the cheek. She loved babies. Any cute thing in general, really, but she didn't get to handle babies often. “Valrae... I have heard that name before. She was at the protest in the camp, I think.” Had organized it, in fact. “I... don't know if she was one of the casualties...” Pilar looked to Alvina with concern. “I'm sorry... I'll ask around.”
Harper lets out a laugh, her cheeks turning red while the sound fills the space around her. Alvina coddles Luna, who is sucking her thumb and staring at Pilar. When she mentions Valrae being at the protest too, her eyes widen. There’s a moment, she would never admit, that sharp relief floods her chest in the moment before panic rewrites her facial features. “Please do but...don’t tell anyone who is asking. I….it’s complicated.” Her emerald gaze dropped as she shuffled Luna to her other hip gently. “Pilar, I’m sorry things have been tense between us lately. I wasn’t trying to hide my involvement with the device clearly…” She nods towards that cursed paper. “I hope you don’t think of me differently now…?”
Pilar bounced Harper on her knee and nodded. She wasn't sure why Alvina wanted her name kept quiet, but she would believe it was complicated, and would respect her friend's wishes. “Of course. And don't worry about it. I'm sorry for thinking that you had anything less than good intentions.” Pilar tickled Harper's belly. “Have I told you how I adore your girls? Because I do. This is... Harper, yes?”
Alvina smiled as Luna shyly nuzzles her face into her mother’s neck, to hide in her hair. “I can never hear it enough.” She laughs, “And yes, that out going little girl is none other than Harper Landon. Now Luna…” Alvina rubs the girl’s back slowly. “Don’t you want to wave to Aunt Pilar? Hmm? She’s playing with your sister, it’s okay to say hi still.” Luna’s mouth is still hidden behind her chubby balled hand but she uses her other hand to gently wave.
Pilar grinned. “Hi, Luna.” She looked to Alvina. “They're beautiful. I'm so glad I got to see them today. Between this and my friend's recovery, things... don't look so bad anymore.”
Alvina nodded. “It’s a hassle bringing them out but they sure do love the adventures.” After which, she paused, looking concerned. “What happened to your friend?”
Pilar glanced around, then scooted her chair closer to Alvina. “It's got to stay a secret, okay? My friend is Reginae, the naga queen. She faked her death, to escape from her sister, Jaize, who's been trying to kill her.”
Alvina gave Pilar a strange look when she scoots closer. Reginae is a name she doesn’t recognize, but her eyes go wide when the vampire mentions Jaize. “No-” She whispers quietly, all composure lost to primal panic. “No no no, she’s dead.” Alvina hissed at Pilar with disbelief. “Jaize is dead.” Was it a fact or a wish? The room blurred, the weight of her daughter in her arms did not register. There was only Jaize’s cruel face twisted in her mind, locked in the Fold’s Jail cell, Arien bargaining for Alvina’s freedom from her servitude.
Pilar saw Alvina's reaction and instinctively wrapped an arm around her and Luna. "I'm so sorry, Alvina, I didn't realize... We're going to stop her. We won't let her get away this time."
Alvina hoped Pilar would never see her as she was again. Her face, the soft bard who loved all, flashed with unquenchable rage. “Destroy her as soon as possible. She’s nothing but a manipulative monster who will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even if it means throwing herself into the fire to do it.” She takes a moment to regain her composer, Luna squirming uncomfortably in her arms while Harper poked the buttons on Alvina's boots and imitated different animal sounds. "Please forgive me, it's... a lot to take in. I hope you believe me about this machine...I don't want to hurt anyone and I won't let it. You have my word." Maybe it was too late for Alvina's word. Maybe someone had already been hurt. This witch Pilar brought up? More unpublished stories? Only time would tell.