Scene Archives

returns, returns, to the Shadow’s cell. He had a shift at the watch-tower, he’d given notice to Clan Emberlight that the Shadow was present and able to speak with them, his shift is over, he returns to the Shadow’s cell. He might sleep here, even. He could sleep on the floor. He knows - he knows that the Shadow cannot escape this cell, he’s had it built carefully, over years, saving for the materials for it, piece by piece from the Merchants out of his own obols– he knows it’s secure, he knows he does not have to be there. And yet, he returns.

looks up from where he’s chained up, as the mechanism engages again. Well, here we go, I suppose, he thinks - but then Casimir’s who steps out, and he– he doesn’t even have a quip. He’d had a hundred obnoxious, clever things in his head ready to needle him with, at least ten of his precedessor’s favourite phrases to slip in to the conversation, at least one or two of which he knows Casimir hasn’t heard, because she’s only started saying them recently. But none of them are… there. None of them are there. He just looks tired.

squints, because this, too, is part of some ruse, some scheme, some plan, by which the Shadow intends to make his escape, isn’t it? His back to the wall, he meets– no, he demands the Shadow’s gaze.

lets him have this, at least. It’s not… unpleasant attention, really. But he doesn’t waste much time. Softly, and almost roughly: “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

scowls. “Every moment you are here and– able to give voice to yourself is a moment in which Valaïs is less safe than it otherwise could be. But Clan Emberlight wished to interrogate you, and believed themselves capable of resisting you, and given their assistance I would be remiss to not give them the chance–“

: “Goddess Bright, you’re obvious.”

stands ramrod straight. “What…?”

does not roll his eyes, because he finds this too endearing, frankly, and it’s almost enough to put him in a better mood. “Ask Salme what ‘like a swift that finally caught its own tail’ means, next time you talk to her, for me, will you? Anyways, no, they’ve interrogated me as much as they’re going to interrogate me. There’s things I want them to see before the next time I speak to any of them and they’re not going to see any of them in this cell. So. Let’s away to the Pathos, then, shall we? Keep Valaïs safe, my dear Guard-Captain?”

does not move, has not moved, still has his back to the wall. “…you’ve some sort of plan in place. An Apparition will swarm as I’m taking you to the Spire, you– clearly you can bypass our defenses, I’m not a complete fool. I wanted to– to find out what you know. How you know it. How you can sneak in, how you did what you did at the Spire. I knew you were capable of it. I as well as gave you a signed bloody invitation–“

: “Pity I didn’t snag one of the stuffed mushrooms. Did you get to try any?”

: “Shut up!”

: “…you’re not going to give me any of that information, there’s… no way for me to force it out of you. So you’re right, if– you’re just going to give me and Emberlight the silent treatment, I suppose there’s– I shall make my apologies to them…”

: “Good boy.” He smiles amiably. “But before that, I do have one question for you, and I’m afraid you will answer.” And he pauses for a moment, and looks up, eyes brightly shining. “What do you want?”

staggers backwards like he’s been struck, although his back’s already to the wall, so he doesn’t have far to stagger.

raises his eyebrow. Raises both of his eyebrows. “Is that all?” And then, casually, he works one hand free from the chains, then the other, and steps out of them, letting them clatter to the floor, covers the distance towards Casimir, pins him bodily against the wall, and kisses him, rather breathlessly. Then he takes a single step back, and says, “Mira’s waiting for you at the Cenotaph. She misses you terribly.”

just stands in that room for a while, trying, utterly unsuccessfully, to process any of the things that just happened. (Mentally composing his resignation letter to the Houses, somewhere on the list, for allowing the Shadow to escape. And then his apology letter to Clan Emberlight. And– well, you get the drift.)