Random 66

"My close family's based in Akarin. My parents did arrange for my position here, but I can't imagine they knew anything about this scheme. They never as much as dropped a hint about some new or unusual project or experiment." He rubbed his face with both hands. Thoughts about what would happen when the information got public kept getting in the way of trying to answer that question. Half talking to himself, he said, "Shit, I would die gladly if I saw a way it could shield them from the consequences of my foul-up here. The Hilyet branch of the family has more money and influence, if I confessed to justice they'd claim I were trying to frame them, and make sure they'd be believed."

Having heard that, Sebastian leaned back in his chair, pleased. As far his not-infallible sense of judgment went, Brice hadn't told any lies. Perhaps not the whole truth, but still enough. "Then take your close family and cut all ties. I won't stop you. I take it your branch of the family has enough money to change your name and run. So do that. As for me? I'll make the Hilyet branch, at the very least, suffer for their arrogance."

Brice nodded and took a deep breath, doing his best to postpone worrying about the logistics of that - or imagining telling the family what had happened. "So... I leave as soon as possible, or...?"

"Well, first we need to lie to those thugs over there --" he pointed over his shoulder with a thumb "-- about what kind of nasty things I'm going to do to you. Also, I'll need your word that you won't get into any kind of shit like this again. You know what I'll do if you do that. Otherwise, you can tell your family Ludovic went mad and just about dragged the family's name to dirt -- which he did -- and get the hell out of this part of the continent. Steal all you want from Ludovic's side. It won't be there once I'm done with them."

Sylvie sighed. That did not sound like this mess would be over soon after they had fixed the weather.

Brice never noticed, Sebastian having his full attention. "You have my word. No business built on hurting other people."

"I'll take your word. Then... that's settled," Sebastian said, stood up, wiped his hands on his knees and glanced at the door. "We'll be leaving for the city together, but heed the warnings I gave you, yes? Just give me a moment to convince those hulks over there, fine?"

Sylvie closed her eyes for a moment, because rolling them did not seem to fit the situation. I think he got your point the first five times.

Brice raised his hands, palms forward. "Yes. Fine." He might have preferred walking away from the city right now, state of the streets notwithstanding, but didn't want to push his luck. Sebastian's switching from murderous to genial-under-the-circumstances and back to threatening again was unnerving; hells knew what might set him off to change his mind regarding keeping his word.

Well, he might have, Sebastian reasoned, but a good intimidation always needed some of the old rubbing-it-in, he found. Not that he didn't mind -- he knew he could be frightening, but still... he didn't like it, and secretly was a bit nervous about that.

"All right. Just give me a moment, then," he said, genial -- just as he thought he had been a moment ago -- and more or less crashed into the other room. For a moment, there was some shouting involved, then a resounding sound of a slap, some low conversation -- and he came back, shaking his head. "Well, that's that. Reo and Marl will be glad to help with the ditches for a few days," Sebastian said calmly, examining the surroundings.

Ayu-Asra followed Sebastian and landed on the half-elf's shoulder.

Sylvie got up and rubbed the back of her neck, head lowered. This tangle was starting to make her sick. And she would have to wait to talk more or less openly to Sebastian because they were dragging Brice along. "Let's get going, then," she sighed.

And so they did, through the mud, the rain, everything. Although it had to be said that Sebastian thought Brice was a model prisoner or mark, he still wasn't happy up until they crashed Auker's little party . He had, on the way there, covertly fished Sylvie's hand more than a few times, looking thoughtful and keeping an eye out for obstacles on the road that the others might not have noticed, but once at Auker's shrine, it was more or less just a simple exchange.

Sebastian had the impression that Auker's exuberance and offer of free alcohol didn't go to waste on Brice (the poor man looked horrified). He did have a very short conversation with Auker, in hushed tones:

"Keep an eye on him. Don't hurt him. I've promised him sanctuary unless he goes back on his word. And whatever tricks you learned during whatever war you were in, keep them in mind, don't get too drunk -- just get him drunk and watch him."

This more or less sobered up the priestess, and before long, Sebastian took Sylvie toward Old Crow, sombre and looking somewhat down and ashamed of himself. He still tried to find her hand, though, as they hurried.

Sylvie pulled her hand away the first time he reached for it, but not the next. She felt bad about having parted with Lady Land's clergy on what felt to her like bad terms. Disappearing without a word had felt wrong, but after Sebastian's last "conversation" she couldn't have faced them. She avoided looking Sebastian in the eyes, and barely said a word until she realised where they were headed. Asleep on my feet, am I? "Aren't we going to check on those addresses?"

"We are," Sebastian-Kai said wearily, avoiding her eyes and pulling the hood off his head to soak in some of the rain. "First we need to talk. Maybe eat, though I'm not sure I have the appetite." Pause. "No, let me rephrase. First I need to apologise, I'd think." He hurt, but hoped it didn't show too much. And, of course, it did -- Sylvie had, for the first time in years, broken through his shell. Instinctually, he didn't even bother pretending. "But if you'd rather..."

"Food sounds sensible. And I'd like to hear that." Her voice was as quiet as the rain allowed, and flat. She could not help thinking back to Sebastian's show for the Old Ivy family this morning. "Somewhere dry?"

"House Crow. I paid for another week, and though the gent running the place might not like me much, money is always money," he said in similar tones, scanning the streets as they walked. He didn't comment further, not even when they were inside and in the warmth of House Crow. By the looks of it, the regulars paid no attention. "My treat," Sebastian said, flegmatic and drained.

"Thanks," Sylvie answered automatically. It was afternoon, between mealtimes, but there was bread left over, which was bland enough to suit their mood, and reasonably fresh tea. She nudged Sebastian to head upstairs, not having the nerves for the common room, and not being sure she could find his room.

He nodded, having intended on going to the room anyway. Once the door was unlocked there was the matter of seeing if someone had broken in again, but this time he wasn't quite that unlucky. Still, the sparsely furnished room with his equally sparse personal belongings only served to make his mood worse. It almost didn't register on his face, the constant reminder that he had no home, but right now his mood in general exacerbated the whole effect. No, shake it off. Thoughts went into action. Too much melancholy was bad. He pulled up a chair for Sylvie, having set his tea and bread on the cupboard.

Sylvie set hers aside for a moment, too, and with ther back to the room pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she turned around, her eyes were reflecting the light like Sebastian's.

With the image of Brice terrified at the focus of Sebastian's attention in the back of her mind, she draped her sodden cloak over the back of the chair and stayed standing, leaning against the cupboard, and picked up the tea. She openly watched Sebastian, rather like she had watched Brice.

Well, he thought, she wasn't going to sit, but for a moment forgot all about exactly how miserable he felt about her body language and the general state of affairs. Her eyes didn't quite make him twitch, but Sebastian still raised his eyes contemplatively. "A moment of rest," he finally said, setting his own cloak to hang from the door knob before aiming for the tea. He didn't even taste it, instead opting to meet Sylvie's look with an enigmatic expression on his face.

He stood stock still, barely moving an inch, tea in one hand, the other arm hanging by his side.

She held her cup loosely with both hands, elbows close to her body, but not huddling. Keeping her eyes on Sebastian, she said, "I do not like lying to allies and friends." Her voice was quite even, but there were undertones that she expected a not so simple answer. How can I tell if you don't lie to me?

Sebastian looked at her wearily. So there we are, he closed his eyes for a moment, shook his head and sighed. He set his cup down, rubbed his eyes with a thumb and a forefinger, then glanced at the window. "I had to slap Kord in order for him to understand that I was going to let Brice go. He wanted blood, and I told him, forcefully, that I had promised.

"I also promised Kord that Brice would get what's coming to him. And he will." Sebastian finally said, staring right back at her. "I don't like lies one bit." There was a slight undertone in his voice, too. He was hurt -- just how hurt and why, well, that was a different matter. Even so, he stood his ground.