The Ballad of Mona Lisa | sapphire-rose

[cade owen woodward]

template by punki of adoxography

a lonely speaker in a conversation

her words are swimming through his ears again

October 24, 2025
@sapphirerose

Cade chuckled at the joke an artist had finished telling and glanced back at the painting that hung on the wall behind them. It was 'abstract', or at least that was what he had been told. Fortunately, all his years working for the paper had taught him some sense of being able to nod and smile and seem interested. People tended to open up if they felt you were interested, and when he needed information, he knew how valuable that skill was. After a few more moments, Cade excused himself from the conversation, citing that he had to make his rounds but would return. It was relaxing, even if art was not in his usual interests but keeping his social network alive was. As he strolled, a drink in one hand and the other in his pocket, he would stop to greet familiar faces and mingle--it was this part of his work that he did miss sometimes. The conversation, being able to socialize instead of being up to his ears on choosing which photograph, would be on the Prophet's front page the next day.

Cade rounded a corner, shook another hand, and began walking around another crowd of a few mingling people. He figured he would stop somewhere and try to appreciate the art or look at some of the paintings. As he approached one particular painting, he saw a blonde woman standing in front of it, she turned to look at a loud crowd who had just erupted in laughter, but Cade was noticed how beautiful she was even from that angle. However, as he approached closer, he realized he recognized the face, and a name popped into his head. Sapphire-Rose. Cade was great with names and faces, but her name was unique, so it had stuck out to him when an old employee had introduced his girlfriend to him at the last Daily Prophet Christmas party. And Cade wasn't blind. He'd noticed how pretty Sapphire-Rose was and how Xavier felt the need to make sure everybody knew it. Unfortunately, Xavier had passed away in some accident earlier in the year--he hadn't been one of Cade's favorite people by any means. Still, he tended to keep those opinions to himself. He approached slowly and began to speak to announce his presence. "Not as exciting as the Christmas party, is it?" The one day a year, his journalists weren't staying up late to finish a deadline or perfect an article before it went across his desk, instead of drinking and having a good time. This soiree was relatively calm.

[Deleted]

October 24, 2025
cade owen woodward

This was the first art gallery show she'd gone to in quite some time. At least in the UK. She'd been abroad when the quarantine started, so she'd been locked out of the country for a few months (much needed time away). She'd attended a few galleries, but nothing really big. Then, after coming home she'd been busy with her brother's endeavor and her own projects. But being able to attend one now was a good thing. It was normal, familiar, safe. It was something she'd always loved. Somewhere Xavier hadn't, so he'd never wanted to go. She'd never had to share it with him. Or have him invade it, and ruin it.

Sapphire-Rose's good friend (at least in the sense of fellow artist who she'd worked with several times) was the curator of the event, and had personally asked her if she had a few abstract pieces she could put into the show. Of course she did, and she happily obliged. She'd been experimenting with her glass work lately, testing it's limits. Twisting and turning it in dangerously thin ways and hoping it held it's shape and didn't break. Much like how she'd felt at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, Bhelliom hadn't been able to attend the event with her. So, she'd come alone.

She'd dressed up in a sleek black cocktail dress with no decorations on it. No, instead she wore a large and intricate necklace and earrings (made by her wonderful brother, of course) to had the pops of blue. It was her signature color, after all. It also made her own bright blue eyes pop.

Upon arrival, she'd been pulled into several conversations by patrons. Asking for her opinion on a piece, or asking about her inspiration for her own pieces. Immediately put on her "show" smile, the one she used for smoozing. She moved from conversation to conversation, not staying longer then a few minutes. She moved through the gallery, though every time she tried to just enjoy the art herself she would get dragged into another conversation. While she didn't mind normally, it was getting a bit annoying. This was an art gallery after all! Was it so hard to just... enjoy the art for a minute? She'd finally found a moment alone though, and was standing in front of the larger paintings. Taking it in. Eyeing the detail, and the brush strokes. There was a eruption of laughter nearby, pulling her from her thoughts and she turned her head to look at him, then turned back to the piece.

A moment later, a voice came from behind her. It sounded vaguely familiar, and they mentioned a Christmas party. She turned her head, eyebrows high with confusion, to the owner of the words. It took a moment, but then she recognized him. Of course. Christmas party. The Daily Prophet Christmas party last year. This man worked with Xavier. Much of that night was a blur now, because Xavier had been dragging her around to literally anyone that would listen to brag that he had a "Veela girlfriend". Showing off. That had also been around the time the.... Well... When Xavier had been at his worst. "That depends on your definition of exciting," she answered with that same charming smile she'd been using all night. "But be careful who you say that to. Some artists may take it as a challenge," she teased just a little. If there was one thing you didn't tell an artist it was that something was boring. Usually their art, of course. "What brings you here?" She finally asked. While reporters and journalists attended events like this, she'd never seen him here before (but, to be honest that could simply be because she'd been out of the UK art loop for a while).

[cade owen woodward]

template by punki of adoxography

a lonely speaker in a conversation

her words are swimming through his ears again

October 24, 2025
@sapphirerose

Her eyes were a bright blue, just as he remembered them. Cade found it easy to recognize faces and names, which had been necessary for his previous work and also with building his network. He supposed a journalist was only as good as their network at times. Otherwise, chasing down leads or a tip would be rather tricky. Cade smiled in response. The man she had accompanied to the Christmas party had been an employee of his. And while Cade had not personally gotten along with him, he'd kept it professional for the sake of the workplace, and he hadn't run into any issues. "Well, this is a different exciting. The Prophet Christmas parties always tend to get a little...out of hand." He spoke, briefly recalling the last few parties where even he nursed a nice hangover the following morning. But back to the present, he looked back at her. Sapphire-Rose, if he recalled correctly. A unique name and hard to forget, and he focused on answering her question. "When I was just a reporter, I was often tasked with writing about art shows." He began his little anecdote, "I learned to have an appreciation for art." There was something...relaxing about taking the time to walk through and look at the various pieces.

One didn't have to understand the true intent, Cade often didn't, but he enjoyed the social aspect of the experience. "I hope you have been well." He commented, but then his face shifted to a more serious expression for a moment. "I was sorry to hear about Xavier..." He commented but sensed it wasn't the time or place to linger on such dark topics. And Cade preferred to keep his personal opinions out of the conversation of a loss. He paused a moment and felt it best to transition back to the topic at hand. "Are you here to see any particular pieces?" He asked. Considering they had only met once before, he didn't dwell on the topic of his former employee and instead back to the art. Cade noticed her jewelry. It was very unique looking--not that he was an expert in jewelry by any means, but he made a note to ask later about it. His previous reporting experience had made him typically notice small details about a person, and habit that had been difficult to break though he hadn't really tried either.

[Deleted]

October 24, 2025
cade owen woodward

He mentioned the Christmas party again, and she was still stumbling in her mind to remember. No, Xavier had been insanely possessive at the party, not letting her more then a few steps away from him the entire night, then dragging her back home early. No, he'd just gone to show her off. Because he'd been obsessed with appearances like that. Sapphire-Rose would be the first to admit that she could be quite superficial, but he'd been superficial in a different way. He'd wanted everyone to envy him, and then later that night been angry that she hadn't made everyone "jealous enough". Right then, a waiter walked by, offering her a champagne glass and she took it, taking a small sip as she tried to decide how to respond. "I'm sorry I missed it then," she answered politely. Though her smile was back when he mentioned covering art shows when he'd been a reporter. "So then is your attendance as a favor to an old friend, or simply you missing the scene?"

Though, then it came up. Xavier. His expression changed, and his words did sound genuinely sincere. Sapphire-Rose's own expression had gone deathly still. How did one respond to that? She had loved in. In a way. But in the end it hadn't been love that made her stay, it had been fear. What love she'd initially had had been twisted into something ugly and unrecognizable. But it was also in poor taste to speak ill of the dead. After a moment's contemplation though, she spoke. "I appreciate that, but it's not needed," she started, speaking slowly. "I'm sure, given your background, you were much more aware of his character then most." She highly doubted the Daily prophet was blind to Xavier's.... tendencies. While he had been good at hiding it, you could only hide so much from reporters.

The change of topics was much appreciated though, and her expression finally relaxed from that unreadable mask, a soft smile reappearing. "I actually have a few pieces in the gallery. The curator begged me to participate." While the conversation hadn't gone exactly like that, it had felt like it to Sapphire-Rose. The curator had needed more pieces, and so she'd asked Sapphire-Rose for some work.

[cade owen woodward]

a lonely speaker in a conversation

her words are swimming through his ears again

October 24, 2025
@sapphirerose

When Cade had been a colleague of Xavier’s, he often found himself at odds with the man and his personality. There was something of a yearning for control Cade could see in him. He micromanaged his interns or became upset when they assisted other Journalists. It had never sat right with him. Still, it was hardly a fireable offense or something to bring up to the Senior Editor at the time. When Cade had risen the ranks, he’d been forced to be more diplomatic in his approach, but the woman in front of him had dated him, so perhaps there had been a personalty he had not himself encountered.

”I missed the scene.” He easily admitted, even if he didn’t always understand the art or liked the style it was nice to mingle and even see old friends or acquaintances. As always, his ear was open for any tidbits of information though he had been trying to make an active effort to leave work out of his mind for at least an hour or two a day. But how did one just drop their work and passion so readily? It was a process. With the other work in his life, he didn’t want to be burned out. Cade figured her pause was a typical response. Speaking of death was never an easy subject though he felt he needed to be polite on the matter. Cade kept his expression the same, but he thought of what he had observed over the years though not quite sure how to interpret it since he’d never had an indication of more and only assumptions. ”I’ve always considered myself fairly observant.”

Cade felt he had brought up his former colleague enough. Sapphire-Rose didn’t seem eager to speak much on the topic, as some he had interviewed in the past after losing someone in their life. But he tucked that thought away in the back of his mind for now. Cade also noted the shift in her expression when he asked about the art once more. In his experience, people knowingly and unknowingly responded to such changes, which he was used to reading from people. ”Really?” He asked, now intrigued to know that she was an artist. While he could write until his hand fell off or his self-writing quills burst into flames—he’d never been one to attempt to create art himself. ”Which pieces are yours? I actually hadn’t done a full walkthrough of the gallery yet.”

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[Deleted]

October 24, 2025
cade owen woodward

Sapphire-Rose smiled, both a mischievous but lovely thing. "Well, I'm certain many here missed your presence as well." She wasn't blind. Cade was a very handsome man. Chiseled, broad shoulders. Could make a heart swoon in a nice suit or make a nun blush in... less. But really it was the way he carried himself that drew attention. Confidence, but not overbearing. "Actually, you have quite good timing to be returning to the scene. I've heard a new gallery is opening soon, unlike any currently around. If you're interested in the attending, I'm sure I can get you an invitation," Of course, she was speaking of the Blue Rose Gallery, and of course she could get him an invitation. If he was trying to get reacquainted with the art world, no doubt that would be a good opportunity. Plus, having Daily Prophet presence would be extremely lucrative.

Sapphire-Rose didn't speak openly about the sort of man Xavier was behind closed doors. Rhys knew, as when she'd hit rock bottom she'd asked him if she could stay with him a few days before her own apartment had been ready. Bhelliom knew, most definitely. They didn't speak about that day, nor about the accident but Sapphire-Rose wasn't stupid. She wouldn't be surprised if some details of Xavier's fall had been skewed. But she didn't care. She raised her glass to her lips and took a sip as he responded. It wasn't exactly the response she'd expected. "And no doubt many of your observations were right," she answered. "I was simply not nearly as observant until it was too late." She hadn't seen the red flags until she'd felt like she couldn't leave.

She lowered her champagne glass and held it delicately in both hands, smiling at his surprise. "Why don't you try and figure it out. I'll accompany you." She was curious to put his observation skills to the test, both as an individual and as a former reporter of the arts.

[cade owen woodward]

a lonely speaker in a conversation

her words are swimming through his ears again

October 24, 2025
@sapphirerose

Cade grinned. Beatrice often made comments like that. Those comments tended to go right over his head for the first few years he was working, but now he caught on fairly quickly. She invited him to the opening of a new gallery, and he nodded. Surely he could make time, and it would help get him out of the office at a decent time. Working long hours had become second nature to him, and even he could acknowledge it was hardly the healthiest habit. ”I would like that.” Cade accepted. He made a mental note to ensure a few of his lifestyle section journalists also attended. ”Any artists I would know?” Some galleries focused on a single artist while some were a collection, either way, he was curious of any names he might know.

Cade could only give her a slight nod. There was no point in dwelling. That part of him that wanted to do right didn’t sit well with such hindsight and assumptions more or less confirmed, but nothing could be done now. It was the downside of his job. The separation of professional and personal and Xavier had not been a personal friend. He hardly was that close to much of his staff with his position, especially the younger journalists. It was a competitive field, and some got a little too big for their boots if they thought they were close to one of the Directors or Editors.

Sapphire-Rose invited him to walk the gallery to see if he could differentiate her art from the rest. It would be a challenge as he wasn’t familiar with her style yet, and while he enjoyed such events, Cade was hardly an art expert. ”Only if you promise not to be offended if I guess incorrectly.” He responded almost sheepishly. But he gestured to his left so they could begin to look at the paintings on the wall there.

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