RP:Cell Block Tango

Part of the Through A Glass, Darkly Arc

Summary: Meri meets with Alvina in jail. Their conversation is short as privacy is a luxury not often afforded to most jailbirds, but Meri plans to work on doing what she can to get Alvina out of jail.

Jail House - Cenril

Just after Hudson’s visit had ended, Alvina was left in the private visitation room of the Cenril jail, where she’d been led earlier that day. Her wrist is still shackled to the table, her face now puffy with emotions. The small swell of her stomach hides under the table top. She expects that she’ll be escorted back to her bloc following Hudson’s exit but the guards don’t reappear for some time. She attributes the delay to the active state of the jail during visitation days. Meri will, no doubt, be privy to that hussle and bussle on her end of things too. What Meri won’t see on her way in, however, is Hudson. A guard stands at the entrance with a roughly scrawled form for visitors to sign; what inmate your visiting, waivers of personal safety, it’s not the fault of the Cenril government if - fill in the blank - happens, etc. He’ll direct Meri to fill out the form before he even bothers to speak. He’ll stiffen when he reads the last name ‘Landon’ on her form and start the routine disclosure of permitted and forbidden items before letting her pass and personally leading her down a long, hall of unoccupied visitation (or interrogation) rooms. All empty except Alvina’s. The guard opens the door for Meri and directs her inside. Alvina’s shocked face meets her on the other side. “Meri!” Besides her clothes, Alvina looks well. Hardly like she’s doing hard time. Her fingernails are painted, for Sven’s sake. Alvina waves with her free hand while the guard tells the women they’re on a time limit before the door shuts behind him. “Meri, gods, Hudson didn’t say anything about you visiting. I’m sorry, this whole mess, I...well, we have no idea what’s going on.” Alvina frowns, embarrassed by the circumstance still. No matter how innocent (or not) you are, it’s not easy to converse while cuffed to a table. “Hudson was just here.” Alvina isn’t sure how to navigate a conversation this delicate with ears everywhere.

Meri really is only paying the guard half heed when he tries to get her to sign various forms and explains what they are. It's not their fault if something happens to her? Whatever. They are trying to inform a woman who has no issue breaking rules when she deems fit to do so. This was not one of those situations, but that does not really make her very inclined to learn all of the details of this visit. She is on her best behavior as the guard escorts her through the visitation/interrogation rooms, leading her to the one that Alvina was kept in. When the blonde steps inside, she is both surprised and not surprised with how well Alvina looks. Of course Hudson would do everything he could to make jail life more palatable for his wife. Meri is equally cautious about what she does or does not say. They may be on a time limit, the door might be shut, but she would not be surprised if there was some way or another for their conversations to be overheard. "Was he?" Meri says in response to the fact that Hudson was just here. Is that why Alvina's face looked puffy with emotions? Meri frowns. Hopefully the conversation was not horrible. "I don't know why you are apologizing to me though. I'm only on the peripheral of all of this mess." In a way she was, and yet in others she was not. "What I mean is...it's more of a headache for you and Hudson than it is me." Meri shrugs as she pulls out the chair placed on the opposite side of the table as Alvina. "I am hoping that we will be able to get this whole thing cleared up soon though. Because you didn't actually attack anyone. They've got the details all wrong."

Alvina’s eyes follow the guard back out the door before setting firmly on Meri’s. At this angle, for the briefest moment, she looks...conniving. “It has been an ordeal…” Alvina agrees, good naturedly. “But, it’s frustrating how the media spins the truth into a whole..” she gestures with her unshackled hand. “Thing.” Undertones of genuine apology. “ Not that being a lycan is anything to be ashamed of but it’s no one else's business…and I’m sorry you got pulled into this.” Alvina hadn’t told anyone, really, that she was a wolf. Most people already assumed because of her husband and her children. That’s what plays against lycans and witches in the human population; assumption. None of this would have happened if Alvina hadn’t turned Meri to begin with. But then, if other powers are at play, it would have been something else with someone else. Maybe even more falsified or dangerous. Meri’d come to visit her but Alvina had to be -so careful- and she wasn’t used to filtering what she said. “Someone is causing an awful lot of trouble…” She frowns, brows furrowed. Alvina doesn’t even think it’s Meri, or Khitti, or even Eleanor but it’s more frustrating to not have a name or face to go with the chaos. “Has anyone bothered you since this whole thing happened? The papers? Is Fleur okay?”

Meri subscribes to that very same logic: if not this, it would be someone else with something else. Still, for Alvina's benefit her apology is met with a smile but Meri is clearly not going to dwell on it. "It's pretty pathetic how the media spins the truth. Especially when it comes to an accusation such as this one." Okay...maybe the media -had- gotten it right, but the lie has been formulated and everyone needs to stick to it, right? Meri nods in agreement when Alvina makes the statement that someone is causing an awful lot of trouble, fingers drumming against the table that is positioned before her in a thoughtful manner. It was hard to keep Meri's mind from straying to who might be causing so much trouble. A frown weighs heavy on her lips. Alvina lobbies another question to Meri and the blonde manages to keep her mind from brooding too much over the details. "No. The media has not been sniffing around at all. I feel like that is probably quite intentional, like they don't really care one way or another to get my side of the story. You'd think they would be interested in that. Especially if I have suffered such a traumatic event. Isn't that what makes papers sell?" Meri shrugs, but maybe part of the reason they did not care to get her side of the story was because she was a werewolf now too. "Which means Fleur is completely undisturbed by all of this. Thankfully. And I have not gone to the papers. Yet." She's been waiting for the all clear from Hudson, they had come up with a couple potential scenarios to lie their way out of this. Meri did not want to do anything preemptively, before they were all on the same page.

Alvina sighs with relief. “Journalists are so pushy…” And rude. And soon to be dead, if Hudson finds out WHO it is or so Alvina imagines. Hudson’s put together but his temper got the better of him on occasion. Meri’s observation that trauma sells papers isn’t far off. “They’ve been publishing horrible stuff recently, or as recently as I’ve been paying attention. Crude remarks about Uma being a witch…” Or in Hudson’s pocket, even. Collusion. That’s what Hudson kept whispering. “But she works hard and really -cares- about what happens here. Not to go on a pro-Uma rant but she genuinely wants what's best and I think we can count on her to find out what happened through due process so we can get our answers.” Boots click to a halt on the other side of the door. Alvina digs her fingertips into the table top. “He said you were going to send a letter to clear this whole thing up -” Her words are rushed. “But please be careful. If you don’t feel safe…We’ve got plenty of room at the house.” Alvina didn’t doubt Meri’s ability to stay safe, or her friends and family who could aid her in that endeavour but...It was Alvina’s fault on this end. Hudson had enemies but this was a separate misstep being used against him. Against all of them? With Meri’s name out there, she might be harrassed for more information on her situation or her relationship to Alvina even, since they’d been friends for so long before this (and hopefully for more years to come, with time as Meri’d said). The guard pulls the door open a second after Alvina’s hand reaches across the table. They aren’t supposed to touch each other. The guard reminds her by clearing his throat. “Time’s almost up.” His gruff voice is muted by nerves. Even though it’s all through due process, Hudson still has the reach to make sure Meri and Alvina wouldn’t be subjected to any restricts beyond the bare minimum. Like time limits. “Please be safe Meri.” Alvina frowns, curling her hand back to her side of the table.

There was a lot that Meri could think to say, and yet she felt it was unwise. This was one of those situations where the less she actually said, the better. It was better that Meri did not spend too much time expressing her views on Uma, but surely Hudson and Alvina know that Meri supports the witch. After all she did to try and get her husband into office, afterall. It might be unfortunate that Uma was widowed, and yet Meri is of the opinion that Cenril is better off for it. Even the things that Meri would be more comfortable stating in a jail cell? Those things are kept to herself, the door opens and the guard announces that their time is almost up. Which basically means that Meri is supposed to stand up now and get her tush out of the jail. At least that is Meri's interpretation of what the guard is saying, Hudson may have reach but Meri would not presume to cause a scene in this instance. It is better for Alvina if they don't. "Right," Meri says to the guard. Blue eyes are diverted back to Alvina, who Meri gives a smirk to. "Be safe? Where's the fun in that. We'll be talking again soon." And with that said, Meri rises and moves to meet the guard at the door. There is a definite shift in demeanor once Meri leaves the jail cell. The reason is simple, the woman is not found of being in the presence of the law in this capacity, but she's being civil and tolerate in this moment.

Alvina smirks, "Time and place, I guess." Meanwhile, she's watching Meri's exit with subtle longing. Hudson's reach was impressive but still not a fix all cure. Alvina was still, away from her children. "Hug your daughter for me, Meri. See you soon."