“Yeah.” Elizabeth nodded. “It's usually pretty calming most days but still gives me something to focus on so I don't get lost in my thoughts too much.” she said, keeping the conversation going until she noticed Farah’s expression change. “Am I boring you or is there something else on your mind?” she asked, a little concerned.
Farah was pulled from her stupor at Elizabeth's words. A look of soft shock replaced the forlorn expression she'd just had, and she quickly fell into an apology. "Oh, no. Of course not. You're not boring me in the slightest. I was just thinking. I'm sorry."
“It's ok. You don't have to apologize.” Elizabeth assured gently, still concerned for her new friend. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, partly out of curiosity but also remembering that talking about things can help a person.
"No," Farah answered easily. "It's alright. I tend to get lost in my own thoughts from time to time. With being a mind fairy and all," she whispered the last part with a brief wink. Really, it was the effect Rosalind had left on her mind after being so close to her for so long. Farah feared she would never outlive the memories and ghosts that haunted her every step.
Elizabeth gave a soft laugh at the whispered secret and nodded. “I guess that's fair. I know what it's like to get lost in your thoughts,” she said sincerely. Though she was sure that Farah felt that she wasn't completely convinced that that was all it was. Occasionally, at work, she had skimmed some books on PTSD but still couldn't say for certain that she had it personally… But she was starting to wonder if a toxic relationship could cause it too.
Farah offered a fleeting smile. “Yes… I really understand. My thoughts, should I linger on them for too long, can consume me if I’m not careful. And I can feel emotions of others around me as if they are my own… I’m an empath, though it’s usually more of a curse than a blessing if I’m being honest.”
Elizabeth let out a thoughtful hum and nodded. “I guess I can see that. The burden of power. It always sounds hard and I remember the little ways that affected James because of his rank. I was just a Lieutenant so I guess I never felt like I had that much authority but…” she paused and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn't mean to make it about me. I was just trying to say that I can relate a little.”
Farah shook her head quickly. "No, not at all. I understand, Elizabeth, I do." The fairy had to physically bite her tongue to keep from continuing, knowing that if she did, it would only lead to more traumatic memories that she had no desire to revisit over and over for hours on end. But Elizabeth was sharing personal emotions with her – well, even if she didn't, Farah would've felt them anyway – so it was the least she could do to share some more with her.
"I suppose we're yet again similar. I'm not sure entirely how your First World army rankings go, but I was directly under Rosalind's orders. So… I don't think she ever felt a 'burden' of power. Power was something she sought after, the only thing she sought after. As I said, the woman is a godsdammed zealot."
“Thanks,” Elizabeth said with a small smile. She briefly thought about wrapping her arm around Farah’s shoulder but decided against it. She didn't want the fairy to be uncomfortable around her, especially with her… “bad” relationship history.
“Yeah. From what you told me about her… Sounds like she was drunk on power and enjoyed controlling everything. Calling her a zealot might actually be putting it lightly.” she shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck.
"That's exactly her," Farah agreed curtly. The bitterness in her tone wasn't directed at the woman she was speaking to but at the woman they were speaking of.
Then, a wistful emotion clouded her eyes, and without realizing it, she lifted her left hand up so her tattoo was visible. It was a solid line on her index finger, above her knuckle, then three dots closer to her fingertips.
"But there were some people in the Otherworld who made the horrors worth it," she murmured, studying the ink on her skin.
Elizabeth took no offense from Farah’s justifiable tone and simply nodded. Though she could better understand why the fairy next to her had to get away as words from their earlier conversations repeated themselves, giving the former Marine goosebumps. And not the good kind.
She raised a brow at softer words and looked at her new friend, catching a glimpse of the subtle tattoo. “Ah. Your friends, right? Saul, Ben, and Andreas?” she asked, her eyes flicking over each of the three dots as she said the names.
Farah smiled softly and flexed her fingers outward. “Yes.” She glanced over and noted both the way Elizabeth looked at her tattoo and the way she listed off the names of Farah’s friends. “Three of them. I suppose the three dots could represent them, but that’s not why I got this.”
She let out a genuine laugh and covered her lips with her hand. “Oh my gods, it’s going to sound so stupid saying it out loud.”
Elizabeth raised a brow and smiled eagerly at Farah’s embarrassment. “Those are actually the more memorable ones. Don't you agree?” she pointed out. “I actually have a couple I got both before and after I joined the Corps.” she smiled.
“If you didn't get those for your friends then what’s the actual story?” she asked, leaning in a little if it was too private to say where others could hear.
Farah let out an agreeing laugh. “They are indeed! If you’re willing to share, I would love to see yours and hear the stories behind them. And I want to get more tattoos myself.”
The fairy’s breath caught slightly as Elizabeth leaned closer. But she told of her tattoo’s history and meaning despite the slight racing of her heart.
“I didn’t say I didn’t get them for my friends,” she remark. “I sort of did. I… used to have a crush on Saul before I found out he had a crush of his own on Andreas. So I asked him if he wanted to get a tattoo with me. He said yes. We called it a team-bonding exercise, so Rosalind wouldn’t get suspicious.”
Farah paused to shake her head and laugh. “I’m pretty sure she was, she never said anything about it. Anyway, three dots in Morse code-” she paused to hold up her finger “-stand for the letter S, and his initials are both S. Saul Silva. In turn, he got both dot-dot-dash-dot for F and dash-dot-dot for D, which are my initials. I got mine, obviously, on my finger, but his took up a bit more space, so he got it on his upper back, between his shoulder blades.”
She laughed again, but this time, the sound was laced with nostalgia and memories. “We just wanted to be rebellious, even if it was in the form of something a simple as a silly tattoo.”
“Sure thing. But it’ll have to wait until we get back before I show you them.” she winked, teasingly. Though her tattoos weren't really that intimately placed. It was just harder to show them off since she was wearing skinny jeans.
Elizabeth smiled as she listened to the sweet story behind the small tattoos. “Aww. That's so sweet.” she cooed. “I should have recognized the code but I'm not very good at reading it.” she admitted, not saying that she was surprised that they had morse code in the Otherworld. “And I wouldn't say that they’re silly since they have an actual meaning to you.”
Farah, however, had no idea where Elizabeth's tattoos were. And with the combination of the woman's words and her teasing wink, the fairy blushed.
"I-It's alright," she said, cursing herself for stammering slightly. "It's not like I already expected you to know everything I just told you. But… thank you. It means a lot to me. He's my best friend." And now he's a world and a gateway away.
Elizabeth couldn't help chuckling softly as Farah blushed but nodded. “Yeah, but I do know morse code from my training. Just not as good with it in written form,” she explained, rubbing the back of her neck. “I believe it. From what I've heard you don't get a meaningful tattoo with someone unless you're close.” she smiled softly, trying to be comforting.
Farah smiled softly and flexed her fingers again to look at the ink better. It was starting to fade from the wear of her hands. She would get it redone, of course, but only if Saul was with her. "We're very close," she whispered. The fairy had only ever doubted him once. Aster Dell.
Godsdammit! Why couldn't she stop thinking about that damn civilization? She wished that the memory of that day would leave her alone.
Elizabeth hummed coyly as she remembered the way she talked about Saul earlier. It seemed like the two were more than just a team. It almost seemed like, if it wasn't for Saul’s partnership with Andreas… Farah and he could have been as close as she had been with James.
She shook her head, forcing herself to push the thoughts out of her head, but smiled when she saw the library just ahead of them. “Wow. I lost track of time.” she laughed. “You got any books, in particular, you want to look at?”
(Even in a roleplay where I'm trying to avoid Silrah… I STILL FUCKING MAKE A WAY FOR SILRAH TO HAPPEN 😂)
Farah was distracted by her tattoo and the memories that went along with it. But she looked up quickly at Elizabeth's words, and she was surprised to see the building that Elizabeth was looking at – which must be the library – was within eyesight and only a short walk away.
"I didn't realize it was so close," Farah remarked before pondering Elizabeth's question. "No, I don't think so. Unless there are any particularly interesting history books you might recommend. Or anything on fairies, if you even have anything of that sort."
(It's obviously your favorite ship. I don't think there’s a way to avoid it.)
“Well, that's part of the reason why I got the job here.” she shrugged. “Makes it easier to show up and get home after a long day. It's kinda nice.”
Elizabeth nodded at the types of books Farah mentioned. “Yeah, there’s plenty of history books in here… As for the fairy books, there’s two different places where those would be. One of those places is fantasy and the other is the mythology section.” she told her as she opened the door for Farah.
(Very true lol. In my mind, Season 2 of Fate doesn't exist. Except for all the parts with Farah, because I was living for the Eve Best content. 😂 They gave Silrah nothing! Not even a goodbye! Literally, don't even get me started 😅)
"Yes, I can understand that," Farah remarked. "And do you like books, I would assume? That's also an added bonus." Though she frowned slightly. "Fantasy and mythology?" she scoffed under her breath. "Ridiculous. I should like to see them."
Elizabeth nodded simply. “Yeah, I like books. I wouldn't call myself much of a bookworm but it's still nice to curl up with a good book every once in a while.” she said with a small smile. But she couldn't help the chuckle as she saw Farah’s expression when she learned where the books on fairies were kept. “Let’s just say that a lot of people don't believe in magic or those who can use it.” she teased before leading the way.
Farah smiled. "I love books. I think I've read just about every book available in Alfea's library. Runes books, especially are my favorite. Thanks to Ben, I also read a lot of alchemic concepts. Oh, and magical theory. Those were my favorites as well… though I believe I am correct in assuming you have nothing of the like here."
She gave Elizabeth a bit of a side-eye look hearing the other woman chuckle quietly. "Perhaps that is best for my race. But I suppose you're no longer in that group?" She cast a playful smirk at Elizabeth and followed the woman's lead.
“Those sound very… interesting and educational.” Elizabeth hummed. “I don't think we would have anything quite like that. But there might be some books with runes in the Mythology and Lore sections.” she added.
“Nope.” she smiled shaking her head. “Your little demonstrations earlier made me a believer.”