Private Talking about Trouble

Zora

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"Could I possibly talk to you about something strange that happened yesterday afternoon when I was at the park with Ebviony?" Celeste said as she moved over to sit down next to Roldan who was seated on a padded wicker sofa across from her.

The two of them had decided earlier that evening to leave the children at home and go out for a nice dinner together at a small restaurant bar located just off one of the trendier areas of Manta Carlos. After they had finished eating, the owners of said establishment showed them to a quiet patio area where people could just sit back and relax for as long as they wanted.

That evening, the patio in question was not overly busy and there were just a few other couples nearby who were sipping at drinks and talking quietly among themselves as a cool, but not unpleasant, evening breeze rolled up off the ocean which was a few hundred yards away.


@Kada ​
 
Kada

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Roldan had fully intended to come clean to Celeste about the pictures he had been sent in the mail, as well as his suspicions about the person who had sent them. Not that he knew who they were, but it didn't bode very well either way.

That was part of the reason for their date that evening, though obviously he also wanted to just spend some time with her. It was why he had his satchel with him, with copies of the photographs and a gun purchased and registered from Damascus Arms. He wanted her and her kids to be safe and Roldan knew that he couldn't always be watching them.

But as they sat down, having gone through the normal pleasantries, Celeste asked him if she could tell him something that had happened. Roldan suddenly felt cold, which was a really uncomfortable feeling for him. Glancing around the patio discreetly, making sure that no one was paying them any obvious attention, he nodded. "Yeah, of course Cici. What's on your mind?"
 
Zora

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Unaware that Roldan might have had a secondary motive for their dinner date tonight, Celeste launched into the story of the young woman who had approached Ebviony in the park the day before and had said that she was their father.

"And when I mentioned to Ebviony that they shouldn't be talking to people who claim such things because they might have bad intentions, the woman basically hurried away after a quick apology," Celeste told him as she unconsciously moved a bit closer to Roldan.

"The woman gave me the creeps, Roldan... I can only think she might have been in the park with the intention of luring children away with stories like that. God knows what might have happened if Ebviony had been alone," she added with a worried frown as her mind went to news articles of children being lured away in public places by child predators and harmed, or worse, never found again.
 
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Roldan felt impotent as Celeste recounted what had happened in the park. He frowned heavily, his own knowledge and fear making connections that might not have been there. When she was done with her story, Roldan took a deep breath and pulled his satchel into his lap. "Wow that's... not great to hear, I'm going to be honest. I'm glad that you're both alright though, so there's that."

Opening the Velcro and the zipper on his bag, he reached a hand in and hesitated. "That worries me though, because something happened to me the other day as well. I tried to get some more information before talking to you about it, but..."

He pulled out the small stack of photographs, handing them over to Celeste to see. "Someone mailed me these. They're of you and the kids, and they're all pretty clearly candid. You didn't know they were taking them, I assume?"
 
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"Pictures of me and the kids?" Celeste stated, clearly shocked by this as she looked at Roldan dumbfoundedly and then to the photographs in his hand.

"What, I mean, why would anyone do such a thing? she asked, growing slightly distressed at the idea that somebody might be following them around as she took the photos from Roldan and slowly looked through them.
 
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"Yeah," Roldan managed, his face tightening up into a serious grimace. He didn't know what any of this meant but he had a decent idea.

"I didn't want to freak you out until I was pretty sure. But now... yeah. Stalking isn't like a huge problem here, but it definitely is moreso than in the Narrow Reality."
 
Zora

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"This can't be happening..." Celeste stated in disbelief as she continued to stare numbly at the photos in her hands, not quite believing that somebody might want to stalk or do her harm.

"You must be wrong. You have to be," she declared uneasily, part of her somewhat in denial still even as the slow cold fear of truth started gripping at her. "Please tell me you are wrong," Celeste said, a look of distress crossing her features as she handed Roldan back the pictures, feeling like they'd burn her if she continued to hold them.
 
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"I hope I am wrong, Celeste," Roldan said with a long, exasperated sigh. Leaning forward, he rested one arm on his knee and gave a small shrug. He took the pictures back and tucked them back in his bag. This was a mess and Celeste was taking it about as well as he figured she would have. Which was not great. He needed to reassure her.

"I've already made a report and I've got a few other officers looking into it. I'm doing what I can, but i can't be too close to this in an official capacity. I'll be around though. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you or the kids." Roldan reached out and grabbed Celeste's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
 
Zora

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"Oh god, the kids," she went pale as a thought occurred to her as she held on tightly to Roldan's hand for comfort and reassurance.

"Roldan, that strange woman... in the park, Ebviony," she said becoming visually agitated as the realization of what could have happened to them if Celeste had not been there. Would a stalker hurt her children? The thought left her cold.

"What if we are in danger? Real danger... I-I don't have that kind of magic, I can't protect them," she said panicking as everything started to fall into place and the idea of not being able to protect her family - or herself began to really sink in. She was a healer, she did not have offensive magic like others in her family.
 
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Kada

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"Celeste. Calm down. Breathe. You don't have to take care of everything, alright? I'm here. The police are working on it. You have an entire clan of dragons at your back on top of that. I promise to you, I will not let anything bad happen to any of you."

Roldan's pupils narrowed and lengthened, becoming reptilian dagger-like slits. He began to heat up, but managed to keep himself mostly in check. He didn't want to melt the patio furniture and get them kicked out. Roldan lowered his voice, turning to face Celeste more directly.

"I also went and bought a gun for you. We can go to the range so you can practice. I know it's not the best thing, but it's better than nothing right?"
 
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