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[Tav is back in the infirmary after not resting much at all back in the Gallows. He's finding it harder and harder to sleep under lock and key. His guards follow him as he enters the infirmary and glances around to find both Cedric and Vanya.
Cedric first.
Tav's guards hang back as the elf approaches Cedric's bed with a soft smile.]
I'm Tav, not sure if you remember me. [He wouldn't blame him.] I'm here to check back in, see if you need any more of the-- [He wiggles his fingers and a hopefully familiar turquoise light dances between them.] magic touch, as it were.
Cedric first.
Tav's guards hang back as the elf approaches Cedric's bed with a soft smile.]
I'm Tav, not sure if you remember me. [He wouldn't blame him.] I'm here to check back in, see if you need any more of the-- [He wiggles his fingers and a hopefully familiar turquoise light dances between them.] magic touch, as it were.
[ Ah.
Cedric peels the cloth from his eyes, squinting against the light. He sits upright, propped in a chair not far from Vanya’s cot. Meant to head out already, but something of the cool and dark sat so heavy on his brow, and -
Well, no one’s slept much, have they?
No, he doesn’t remember Tav. The past day is a lurch of hours. But he knows the name, the voice. ]
Barrow filled me in, [ Careful. He's watching the guards. Cedric's seen his share of mages too, but the Loyalists he knows own more freedom of movement. ] Reckon we all owe you our gratitude, Tav.
[ His expression gentles, but his palm presses out firm - no, no more magic, thank you. Bruises will fade, and the rough men in back remind his training: A spell is always an escalation.
He likes the four of them better settled. ]
Cedric peels the cloth from his eyes, squinting against the light. He sits upright, propped in a chair not far from Vanya’s cot. Meant to head out already, but something of the cool and dark sat so heavy on his brow, and -
Well, no one’s slept much, have they?
No, he doesn’t remember Tav. The past day is a lurch of hours. But he knows the name, the voice. ]
Barrow filled me in, [ Careful. He's watching the guards. Cedric's seen his share of mages too, but the Loyalists he knows own more freedom of movement. ] Reckon we all owe you our gratitude, Tav.
[ His expression gentles, but his palm presses out firm - no, no more magic, thank you. Bruises will fade, and the rough men in back remind his training: A spell is always an escalation.
He likes the four of them better settled. ]
[ This isn't his first sickbay. If the Gallows owns an advantage, it’s that no one’s dying in here - ten years on, and the smell of Declan’s clipped intestines has never quite left him. The sour air of his mother’s blankets.
There's no one dying in here. But he's lingered longer than he'd like. ]
A helmet, yesterday. [ A crinkled smile: He's joking. ] I'm well. Some things just take time.
[ Cedric stoops up, cracking stiff joints. Casually - or it might be, if he weren't maintaining direct eye contact with the one on the left, he calls - ]
Don't think I caught your names, serahs,
[ To the guards. ]
There's no one dying in here. But he's lingered longer than he'd like. ]
A helmet, yesterday. [ A crinkled smile: He's joking. ] I'm well. Some things just take time.
[ Cedric stoops up, cracking stiff joints. Casually - or it might be, if he weren't maintaining direct eye contact with the one on the left, he calls - ]
Don't think I caught your names, serahs,
[ To the guards. ]
[Some things do take time, Tav silently agrees. He’d been so caught up in the rush of trying to save Baldur’s Gate, destroying the Absolute, removing taspoles that sitting still seems impossible.
He pivots when Cedric addresses theNPCs guards, dressed in vaguely piratey uniforms.
The one on the left,] Baeron, ser.
[And the right,] Kinnear.
He pivots when Cedric addresses the
The one on the left,] Baeron, ser.
[And the right,] Kinnear.
Edited (html) 2024-03-29 11:41 (UTC)
[ Baeron and Kinnear. Alright. See if he can hang on to that much.
Cedric doesn't hold any authority here, but maybe he doesn't need it. Just matters they know they're being watched. Problems look a lot like people sometimes - he's got ideas on how a Tevene pirate might solve them.
He pauses at the door, turns to nod, ]
My thanks again, Tav. Catch you around.
[ Before disappearing into the blurry day. ]
Cedric doesn't hold any authority here, but maybe he doesn't need it. Just matters they know they're being watched. Problems look a lot like people sometimes - he's got ideas on how a Tevene pirate might solve them.
He pauses at the door, turns to nod, ]
My thanks again, Tav. Catch you around.
[ Before disappearing into the blurry day. ]
[ Byerly saunters into the library a bit after noon (punctuality is not his strong suit). He looks dapper enough, and quite unconcerned by any of the previous drama, having extracted himself from his feelings a bit.
If Cedric is there as promised, he'll saunter over to his table. ]
If Cedric is there as promised, he'll saunter over to his table. ]
[ summer's come to kirkwall. it's hot, and if that beats cold by a country mile, cedric's still sweating through his shirtsleeves. you'd think all the stones they lost would've improved tower airflow.
he's fussing by the time byerly arrives, distraction peeling a soggy flop of hair to shape; a bad job to cover the ruins of his ear. inkpot and pages are arranged, first draft sketched in chalk slate (with paper so dear): thanking the countess for her kind words on dear jeanne-marie, whose loss penfinnel hasn't deigned to acknowledge —
a nod, he nudges it across the table. ]
They get your street cleared up?
[ last time he was down their lane, the neighbours were rubble. ]
he's fussing by the time byerly arrives, distraction peeling a soggy flop of hair to shape; a bad job to cover the ruins of his ear. inkpot and pages are arranged, first draft sketched in chalk slate (with paper so dear): thanking the countess for her kind words on dear jeanne-marie, whose loss penfinnel hasn't deigned to acknowledge —
a nod, he nudges it across the table. ]
They get your street cleared up?
[ last time he was down their lane, the neighbours were rubble. ]
Mm.
[ By pulls out tobacco and rolling papers, starts rolling himself a smoke. Obnoxiously, he does not seem to be sweating, but instead looks rather crisp. Just one of the annoying things about him. ]
We've come to the end of the grisly discoveries, hopefully.
[ There's a darkness that passes momentarily across his face. The houses beside theirs, on either side, had been crushed. They'd been occupied. ]
Funny, what passes for small talk nowadays.
[ By pulls out tobacco and rolling papers, starts rolling himself a smoke. Obnoxiously, he does not seem to be sweating, but instead looks rather crisp. Just one of the annoying things about him. ]
We've come to the end of the grisly discoveries, hopefully.
[ There's a darkness that passes momentarily across his face. The houses beside theirs, on either side, had been crushed. They'd been occupied. ]
Funny, what passes for small talk nowadays.
[ a shit kind of luck, he’d told bastien. meant it. everyone wants to survive, no one wants to be a survivor. ]
It was good of you both t'stay.
[ plenty would've packed up already, run out on the lease; not dug a hand to help. cedric peels away from slate, damp fingers rubbing little white curls from dust. this isn’t really about a second pair of eyes — if he was worried for the letter, he’d ask gela to read it. benedict. even julius, whose tolerance cedric would rather save for the painful day he inevitably needs to impose on a mage.
but if byerly wants to talk, work's the price. ]
No one’s called us on th'fake Rifter yet. Might wanna amend a report somewhere, though. Something harmless. Old room records, maybe.
It was good of you both t'stay.
[ plenty would've packed up already, run out on the lease; not dug a hand to help. cedric peels away from slate, damp fingers rubbing little white curls from dust. this isn’t really about a second pair of eyes — if he was worried for the letter, he’d ask gela to read it. benedict. even julius, whose tolerance cedric would rather save for the painful day he inevitably needs to impose on a mage.
but if byerly wants to talk, work's the price. ]
No one’s called us on th'fake Rifter yet. Might wanna amend a report somewhere, though. Something harmless. Old room records, maybe.
(If somebody were to, say, be occupying the training grounds for whatever reason that afternoon they may notice Gela walking there at quite a pace with both hands on her hips, like she is going somewhere, or is on a quick and nervous mission.
She pauses near the fencing and squints at the back that's to her, calling out,) Cedric?
She pauses near the fencing and squints at the back that's to her, calling out,) Cedric?
[ He’s rarely in plate. It’s a pain for the work they do now, so often by air, with thin numbers and improvisational tactics. There aren’t men at his shoulders, sweeping a street; advancing on a spell. It’s him, him and a few others at a time, and he’s had to adapt —
But some days you just want to wear out. A shield arcs high and down, smashes into the splintered edge of a dummy’s shoulder. He’s drawing back for another blow when he hears her. Oh. Oh, ]
Gela, [ Breathless. Cedric turns, hooks his helmet off and aside. The shield drops. His brow crinkles. ] Hey. Y’alright?
[ She’s so seldom out here. ]
But some days you just want to wear out. A shield arcs high and down, smashes into the splintered edge of a dummy’s shoulder. He’s drawing back for another blow when he hears her. Oh. Oh, ]
Gela, [ Breathless. Cedric turns, hooks his helmet off and aside. The shield drops. His brow crinkles. ] Hey. Y’alright?
[ She’s so seldom out here. ]
I — ('m fine, the response at the edge of her lips, an easy thing to say but now bit back. The formality of Cedric in his plate armor and shield, something she has not seen him wear in any battle, is a strange reassurance: they are both doing things they don't normally do, here, and it hasn't changed the way they greet each other.
Still, some habits are too hard to break so even though Gela does admit,) No, (then,) I don't know, (as if to soften it, she pushes on hard and purposeful, like striking out at a target.) You're — this is very impressive.
(The plate.)
Have you been out here a while?
Still, some habits are too hard to break so even though Gela does admit,) No, (then,) I don't know, (as if to soften it, she pushes on hard and purposeful, like striking out at a target.) You're — this is very impressive.
(The plate.)
Have you been out here a while?
Edited 2024-07-17 05:30 (UTC)
A bit, [ He admits, sheepish. She can probably guess when, even if he left things off with Rutyer, well. Privately. ] 'Round an hour.
[ His cheeks are hot. It isn’t only for the day. Always embarrassing to lose your cool, worse, that she's said just the thing he'd hope for. Impressive. He wants so badly to be. Cedric stoops to deposit shield and helm, then leans over the fence. Metal creaks. ]
Just been feeling all — [ His chin tips, mouth pulls into shrug. ] — You too?
[ For the meeting. For the dead and gone. For the stifling summer sun, and a war that’s dragged on, and did she ever hear back from that brother? A thousand little kicks in the gut. ]
[ His cheeks are hot. It isn’t only for the day. Always embarrassing to lose your cool, worse, that she's said just the thing he'd hope for. Impressive. He wants so badly to be. Cedric stoops to deposit shield and helm, then leans over the fence. Metal creaks. ]
Just been feeling all — [ His chin tips, mouth pulls into shrug. ] — You too?
[ For the meeting. For the dead and gone. For the stifling summer sun, and a war that’s dragged on, and did she ever hear back from that brother? A thousand little kicks in the gut. ]
Edited 2024-07-17 06:02 (UTC)
(His chin tip and shrug makes her smile, briefly.) Yes. (That is a good way to put it. She has also been feeling all...
Gela leans back on her heels, still holding the fence, both arms extended. She did this in Cumberland as a child, on the fence outside of her family house. Does Cedric have memories like this of Nevarra? Hot days and cold nights, but being warm at home. Getting yelled at by the nearest parent for hanging off the fence, you'll break it, you'll break it. She hasn't asked him yet.)
That was a hard conversation. (Broached tentatively.) I'm worried I spoke out of turn.
Gela leans back on her heels, still holding the fence, both arms extended. She did this in Cumberland as a child, on the fence outside of her family house. Does Cedric have memories like this of Nevarra? Hot days and cold nights, but being warm at home. Getting yelled at by the nearest parent for hanging off the fence, you'll break it, you'll break it. She hasn't asked him yet.)
That was a hard conversation. (Broached tentatively.) I'm worried I spoke out of turn.
Mm-hm.
[ Byerly isn’t particularly interested in the work itself. Instead, his lovely dark eyes are fixed firmly on Cedric. ]
I’m curious, dear fellow - do you use lyrium? I know some of your type have thrown it aside, but others are still at it.
[ Byerly isn’t particularly interested in the work itself. Instead, his lovely dark eyes are fixed firmly on Cedric. ]
I’m curious, dear fellow - do you use lyrium? I know some of your type have thrown it aside, but others are still at it.
Edited 2024-07-17 12:29 (UTC)
Yeah, [ blunt. it’s there, if you know what to look for, the sharp, storm-burnt stink of his sweat. ] Yeah, I use lyrium.
[ your type jabs with surgical precision. but it’s a new day. they've got a fresh start, and he owes rutyer the same understanding he wanted for the others: if you can't do that, dunno how you expect everyone else to,
so. cedric taps the slate. over here, thanks — ]
Thing is, we oughta loop folks in for what we change, and that becomes another way t’catch it.
[ your type jabs with surgical precision. but it’s a new day. they've got a fresh start, and he owes rutyer the same understanding he wanted for the others: if you can't do that, dunno how you expect everyone else to,
so. cedric taps the slate. over here, thanks — ]
Thing is, we oughta loop folks in for what we change, and that becomes another way t’catch it.
Edited 2024-07-17 19:40 (UTC)
How are you doing with it?
[ There's nothing visibly offensive in the way that Byerly speaks. He doesn't seem aggressive, nor cruel, nor solicitous, nor ironic. Just implacable. Just seeing how deep you need to dig to hit muscle. ]
[ There's nothing visibly offensive in the way that Byerly speaks. He doesn't seem aggressive, nor cruel, nor solicitous, nor ironic. Just implacable. Just seeing how deep you need to dig to hit muscle. ]
It was hard,
[ He agrees. Easier now to do that. The older he gets, the better sense it makes, having kids run laps for a scuffle. Can’t be angry without the lungs. ]
Harder, maybe — when there’s a conflict, and can’t no one touch it direct. Makes disagreeing feel bigger than it is.
[ Killing each other with courtesy. Shouting might scare Benedict, but he still got run over at a pleasant volume. Cedric picks at a gauntlet, glances up to watch her swing. A memory, unbidden, of heat lifting stain; scraped knees marked in the sappy lift of colour. ]
What felt iffy?
[ He agrees. Easier now to do that. The older he gets, the better sense it makes, having kids run laps for a scuffle. Can’t be angry without the lungs. ]
Harder, maybe — when there’s a conflict, and can’t no one touch it direct. Makes disagreeing feel bigger than it is.
[ Killing each other with courtesy. Shouting might scare Benedict, but he still got run over at a pleasant volume. Cedric picks at a gauntlet, glances up to watch her swing. A memory, unbidden, of heat lifting stain; scraped knees marked in the sappy lift of colour. ]
What felt iffy?
With the letter?
[ he knows what with, as well as he knows that it's not anyone's business. ]
[ he knows what with, as well as he knows that it's not anyone's business. ]
Yeah, 's called a conversation.
[ he picks up the pen, a cheap reed; its end marked by the unmistakable press of teeth ]
And if you go take vows, we'll have it open. Otherwise,
[ a gesture. he knows the deal. ]
[ he picks up the pen, a cheap reed; its end marked by the unmistakable press of teeth ]
And if you go take vows, we'll have it open. Otherwise,
[ a gesture. he knows the deal. ]
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