* * *
Stevane
* * *
"What was my sister like?" It's a natural question. Strangely, brandishing weapons at Calyx while asking it makes it even more so.
He's rummaging through drawers of paper and references, digging through documents that are who knows how old. He seems rather nonchalant about the whole weapons-brandishing thng, but then his line of work probably makes that normal. "Just as pretty and dangerous as you. Xen really did give me a scare. For a moment, I thought he knew she was still alive." He produces a compass out of all that mess, then places that with the quill and paper he gathered up. He's been adding things to the map already, but he wanted to keep things accurate. Already I'm impressed by how much he's marked on that thing... and curious as to how true it all is.
"Oh?"
"I'm the only one who knew. Everyone else where she's been holed up all this time has no clue as to her true identity. I agreed to sneak her out - she was very convincing about things, you see." He squints at his work, contemplates, then begins to fill out another section of the map. "Sneaky girl. She didn't warn me she wanted a baby."
He sort of ducks then, which shows he has good instincts - if I were my Father, I would have struck.
"Well, a lot of babies, but that first one was the big surprise. I couldn't let Xen have her then, of course. I got protective. I still to this day haven't gotten out of her whether she used that as her escape, or she really did want a child by me. My hunch is a little of both, but still, I wonder where the weight swings? She was a cunning girl. She was playing the role of an Armed who'd defected from Radia, joining our side, aiding Xen's research... then she seduces me, and then suddenly I've got a son on the way, and a lot more of my life determined for me than I ever thought. So we figured out that a place out in Radia would be best - she'd never fit in properly over here out on her own. That flaming red hair, that bearing of hers... not Aurocan at all. She was more restrained than you, more willing to play Xen's games than be defiant towards him. Possibly it's what pissed him off so much about you, but well... who really knew, with him? He was just a real prick."
I want to sit down, because this is a lot all at once. I've got to stay on guard and alert, though, if only to make sure Daddy doesn't overhear any of this right now and come kill Calyx this moment. Because I am starting to like Calyx, in that would-still-set-his-head-on-fire-but-maybe-not-kill-him sort of way. "When did you know she wasn't a defector?"
He chuckles - not a sound I like, because it's foreboding something else I won't like. "Who knows if she really is, is the question? I could never really tell. Her loyalty is certainly, if it's anywhere, placed with the family she started with me. Beyond that, how can I know her mind? She's a woman, and a crazy woman, and a crazy red-haired woman. I don't even know what got into me... though I certainly know what got into her..." he grins as he writes. Then he pales a bit as the tip of a blade pricks the back of his neck.
"I certainly know what could get into you." The words are leaden and utterly serious.
"Pardon," he says, and that's enough for both of us. Crisanto and I back off, and he goes back to his map-drawing. It's quiet, for awhile.
Something sort of nags at me, but my head's sort of cloudy in parts. The parts of my mind that have to do with the Arms are wide-awake - maybe even too much so. But something else feels sluggish and chained...
Oh. Of course. What an idiot I am. Crisanto cuts up through the collar around my neck in one clean motion, Garnet slamming down into it before it even hits the floor. The wretched thing is crushed. The release is like a flood of crystal water crashing into my mind, enveloping it and wrapping my whole self in a cool feeling of relief and joy. And with that is Elric's voice--
We're waiting for you, sweetcake.
Apparently I'm not the only one who was ready to break out of this place.
Soon, I reply.
"Are we done?" I look over to Calyx. He does seem to be well along on the map.
He bites his lip. "I believe so. Though you did make me jump just now. Didn't smudge anything, though. In any case... your sister." His face is clouded, and he doesn't want to look up at me. He sighs. "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. She's the one person I won't betray - or so I thought. Would you just take the map instead?"
"No." The voice is leaden like before. I don't even think of the reply before I make it.
"Of course. A deal is a deal, and... well, she's a resourceful girl, and I'm sure she'll love to see her family again." It almost hurts to know he's lying there, or at least dubious enough to not be sure if it's a truth. "Robinstead, the desert settlement. She's been in Robinstead since she left here. It was barely much of anything back then, and certainly nowhere of interest to Xen. She had our son there, and, well... a lot more children since. She holds the settlement steady, to be sure."
I furrow my brow. Robinstead. Isn't that where...
My eyes flick up to his face, and then I see it. I almost laugh, but I keep my regard serious. I don't want to ruin the moment. "You have my gratitude, Jhe Gorey."
"And you have mine, Jhe Akribastes. May you move along now, then, so that you may have even more of mine? It has been a full day, and I suspect both of us have had enough of each other for quite some time." He hands the map to me. I take it.
I go.
* * *
Erynn
* * *
Okay, so all in all we have a lot of people to account for, and it takes up quite a bit of time while we wait for Stevane (whom Elric keeps on insisting is on her way). There's also the instruments room - enough stuff in there to give me the willies, to be sure, but also some treasures that I haven't seen in quite some time. Dougrasse is extremely happy to be reunited with his prized sewing equipment, and several others are starting to rediscover their missing possessions. There's also some instruments that belong to missing Poets who aren't present - a query to Elric give the unwelcome answer that not everyone that was captured is here.
A few of them aren't likely to be anywhere, Erynn. We haven't all survived. There's a dreadful pause. I can give at least a partial accounting of those we've completely lost later, but... not now. Not here.
It's a bit glum in here, and having a giant spider doesn't exactly help anyone, but at least she's polite. Some of the Poets knew about Jhe Haari'se already, which does help. As for where Jhe Edward is, well...
Well, I haven't been able to get a word out of Jax since we learned about that. He's blazing angry. I can't imagine what Jhe o'Radia will think, and I don't want to be around him when he finds out. Jhe Edward, a traitor... it's so strange. I mean, he taught me most everything I know, if sometimes by bad example. I don't really understand. Just like with Lyric.
Who, I may note, Jhe Gerude isn't letting out of his sight. And, well, do I blame him? Jhe Lyric's answers on a few questions don't sound right at all, and I can't rightly say he's telling the truth for all of them. The boy's daft - he already made it through one Trial, does he think he can survive a second?
There's a bit of panting down the hall, and then around a corner pokes a head framed in oh-so-familiar curly red hair. Stevane grins so hard that I'm afraid her face will suffer a strain. She fair tackles Elric, almost knocking the poor man over.
"I heard you, I knew I heard you, I listened and I found you-- Elric it's been so long..."
Jax looks up in the middle of the cute little reunion. His eyes narrow. He gestures to me to stay quiet, then bites his lip.
"Yes?" he says in a voice that's too deep for him, and a bit too... dour. What is he on about?
There's a rustle from the end of the corridor. "Edward, sire... we're growing worried. There are guards missing, and doors askew that shouldn't be." The voice is wheedling and shaky, an old man or woman. Probably some poor servant scared out of their wits. Don't really blame them, in this castle.
My eyes widen. Jax just nods. "Quarantine off this section - it's safe, but there could be trouble. Don't allow anyone in this area of the Manor until I give my say-so. Do you hear me?" The voice is so imperious and snooty that I barely recognize it - except I do. It's Jhe Edward at his worst. Of course Jax would be a fair imitator of his older brother. It's brilliant.
"Yes! Of course! Thank you very much, sire!" The servant shuffles off out of sight. Gerude lowers his guns - and Stevane lowers a knife I've never seen in her hands before. Come to think about it, she looks a bit more honed than usual, and certainly worth ducking away from at a moment's notice. Did she...?
Gerude can't quite find the words for a moment. "You're gonna be alright, sis?" She's got blood on her. I just now noticed. Some of it's not even hers.
She gives him a cryptic smile that's not at all happy. "I wanna see Daddy. Let's get out of here before I find something to kill again."
After that, we're all more than happy to haul out of here. Goodness, and here I heard that Armed trainees just became big red splats if they got their Arms away from home. Stevane looks back at me, her gaze measuring in a way that makes me keenly uncomfortable - it's the same way Gerude Aims.
"Jhe Stevane? Is something amiss?" I manage to keep the question quite upbeat, if I do say so myself. No pants-wetting whatsoever.
She grins - another expression that doesn't exactly console me. "It's just relieving to see your face, is all. I was reminded of it earlier. Was thinking of Robinstead, too." And then she won't say anything more on the subject, which is fine with me.
I'm occupied enough as it is, anyway, adapting a hallway arch into a Door to get us all the way to Radia. "Between all of us concentrating, I think we ought to be able to manage the trip. Everyone ready? Got everything in tow that they need?"
Everything's ready. We go home. It still feels like we're missing something, but...
Well, there's no getting Jhe Edward back from where we are now, is there?
