14622/Getting used to it

Getting used to it
Date of Scene:	29 November 2022
Location:	St. Peter's Church - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Willow chats with Heloise and some things are being clarified
Cast of Characters:	Hellequin, Willow Rosenberg

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Hellequin has posed:
For those visiting the Fontainebleau store, a note had been left on the locked door: "For any emergency, please find us at St. Peters". Now, it is unclear what kind of emergency anyone looking for antiques might have. Nevertheless, the note is clear as to where to find the owner if need be.

It is a weekday, so the church is rather quiet. A few parishioners and tourists sit here and there, but the main floor is rather empty. There seems to be more activity towards the back, where a large open door leads to the gardens. On approaching, a visitor would notice the large hand-made poster announcing a charity sale set for the next day. This explains the activity going on, as volunteers move tables around, prepping the gardens for the event.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow giggled to herself when she read the note. Then again, she left a lot of notes herself that made no sense unless you were familiar with her. And the Scoobies. Thank goodness she knew where he was referring to, and quickly made her way over to the Church.

She wasn't expecting the people by the back, getting ready for tomorrow's sale.

"Oh.." Looking around, she chews on her lower lip. "Uhm, I'm looking for Henri? Do you need extra hands to get ready for the bazaar?"

Hellequin has posed:
One of the older ladies smiles kindly at Willow as she approaches the back of the church.

"You mean, Mister de Fontainebleau, young lady? No, he isn't here. But you can find his lady friend, somewhere in the garden, sorting the items for sale."

Indeed, sitting by herself under a tree in the garden, closest to the stone wall bordering the property, Heloise is busy creating bundles of items, sorting by color and size. Most are handmade trinkets - socks, mittens, caps - that a bunch of older ladies did especially for this charity event.

As she focuses on her work, Heloise hums a song that most would think she learned in a history course, reminiscent of the Middle Ages.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
When the lady mentions Heloise, Willow smiles broadly. "Oh! Even better! I wanted to know how she was doing. Better her than him. Thank-you." And with that, she hurries out into the courtyard the find her.

Within minutes she found her, and wandered over. "Heloise! I thought I would find Henri. Instead it's you! For the end of November the weather is positively warm. Good for walking around. Bad for selling mittens and socks."

"Can I sit here?" Not that Willow waited, sitting close enough to hold a conversation, but not so close to make her feel uncomfortable. "I like that song." For a Jewish person, she was actually well versed in quite a number of religions, and various and sundry things like songs. Let's face it, religions were the basis of quite a number of supernatural entities. At least the bulk of the myths and fables about them.

"How are you doing?"

Hellequin has posed:
If she was startled by Willow's arrival, nothing in the young lady's demeanor shows that it did. Heloise looks up, a smile already on her face, like someone happy to meet a friend, someone she already knows.

The benevolent ladies are all very welcoming, Heloise cannot complain. She even suspects that Henri had a word with someone - maybe the priest? - and that everyone was warned to be nice to her. Secretly, Heloise has set a time to address the matter with the antiquarian, so he will relent on over-protecting her.

The company of someone her age - albeit not born in the same millennium - is a nice change and Heloise is genuinely happy to meet Willow.

"Willow, my dear friend," Heloise says, welcoming her. "I am as fine as one can be." Pausing for a moment, she explains, "This is a song that I learned at church. Sadly, it is not sung anymore, but by a few." The young woman laughs lightly, the sound of her laughter almost like the wind catching in the branches of the tree, "And by a few, I really mean, by two persons, of which I am one."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Let me guess.. Henri is the other one?" Willow has an inward sigh. "It must be hard for you to fit in. I'm sorry that I chose now to bring you to, only for that reason. The rest of my reasons were sound though. You aren't disappointed in me?"

After all, she could have chosen a time closer to Heloise's time. Instead far off in the future, like now.

"If I were honest, I hoped you and Henri would reunite here. Your love had barely a chance to bloom back then. ..I argued with Henri that you shouldn't be brought into the future, and when I had the chance.. something made me change my mind."

Hellequin has posed:
Always smiling, Heloise drops the few knitted items in her hand, to turn to Willow, reaching to hold her hands in hers.

"Oh, dear Willow, how could I be disappointed in you? You saved my life, and for that I will be eternally in your debt."

A light frown quickly shows on her delicate features at the mention of Henri, but it only lasts a moment and the smile is back.

"I believe you made the right choice, I would not want to be anywhere else than where Henri is. No matter where, no matter when." She pauses, tilting her head slightly, as if considering an internal debate.

"But he has changed. Oh, do not believe that I do not love him anymore, or he me. No. But he is, how can I explain, he is different. /Very/ different. I believe that you do know what I mean, by /different/."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow clasps Heloise's hands within her own.

For a brief moment she beams with relief. Then just as suddenly she worries up her brow, and nods. And heaves a long sigh.

"You came here, without a break. Correct? But Henri has hundreds of years without you. He grew.. that is.. he became a man who could fulfil the instructions given to him by Yahweh, and lose his lover. He's got conflicting information now. And got to figure it out. How can he be the same man who killed people like me, and have me to thank for bringing you back to him. It must be pulling him apart."

Then she realises, "You realise I am a witch. A pagan witch - which is bad is his eyes. But I also as a witch witch. That is, I do magic. Not all witches do. I'm probably more a mystic. It's complicated."

And she waits.

Hellequin has posed:
Heloise seems confused for a moment, considering Willow. "Without a break, I assure you, I did not break any bone, no."

Feeling that this must be a cultural misunderstanding, the young woman shakes her head, dismissing the matter.

"If he tries to kill you," Heloise states with purpose, showing that she's not just a little girl from way back, "It is not his conscience that will pull him apart, it will be ME!"

And on that, again, Heloise laughs lightly, full of confidence and not seemingly afraid of Henri.

"He told me about you, that you are a witch. I have already told him, that he must be wrong, because if you were a bad witch, God would have allowed him to slay you. And He did not, so therefore, you are not a bad witch."

Gently squeezing Willow's hands, the young woman adds, "Willow, it is not complicated. You are who you are. And who you are, is my friend. And this gruff bear of a man, will not touch a hair on your head."