QUIET MOUNDS - STEF HEART

[abardacttofollow]

You find yourself in a stone room that looks like some sort of medieval dungeon. There are (thankfully), no torture instruments, but there is a man strung up here. One large manacle is around his neck, chaining him stiffly to the door. His hands are free, but each foot is manacled to the matching bottom corner of the doorframe. There is a visible lock on each of the three manacles.

It's Stefen, and there's a knife in his chest. Despite that, he's alive, apparently alert, and doesn't look to be in pain, perhaps due to the lulling, sense-dulling music that seems to be coming from nowhere at all—in fact, if you were in pain before you entered, it's gone here. His wound is bleeding, but only a little, and he smiles his usual bright smile at you.

Behind him, but in front of the closed door he's bound to, you can see three double sets of strings running vertically. Where they meet the floor, they are fastened, and then each runs across the floor to the three doors on the opposite wall, then under them.

There is nothing else in this room.

((OOC: Here's how this will work! Since we're doing individual runs, rather than me putting up individual top levels for areas, just jump the post itself, and I'll run everything for you within your one thread. If you're wanting to do a run with someone else, just stay in the same thread together.))

Comments

[splashofbourbon]

[well, time to get this over with. through the door!]

The Gift 1

[abardacttofollow]

You find yourself in a royal court, with a king on his seat. He looks tired and unwell, but is upright and smiling. The music is loud here, the source of where it's playing throughout the Heart: Stefen, much the age you're used to seeing him, seated on the dais and playing a lute for entertainment. Across the king's lap is a scepter, and a long lush carpet leads up to the throne. On either side of the carpet are people come to get the king's audience, mostly the rich and fancifully dressed. Behind the throne there is a door; the cord runs through the middle of the room, under the throne and the king's feet, and under that locked door. Next to the door is some sort of empty scale, clearly attached in some way.

"Well? Who's next?" the king asks, in a friendly voice despite his paleness, and the dark circles under his eyes.

A sign on the door reads: "What is the weight of security?"

[splashofbourbon]

Security, huh?

[side stepping the line of people, moving over to where Stef's seated]

[abardacttofollow]

He looks up at you, mostly tranced. His fingers are blistered, and the blisters are starting to tear on the strings.

[splashofbourbon]

What in the—hey now, you cut that out.

[nudging at him, trying to break the trance]

[abardacttofollow]

He stops playing with a startled gasp. On the throne, the king starts to sag a little.

[splashofbourbon]

Easy now, you done tore your fingers up. Just give it a rest for now, all right?

[abardacttofollow]

"It's him or me."

[splashofbourbon]

Seems high time to make it "me" if you're asking.

[abardacttofollow]

"I only have to keep him upright until the end of his audiences."

[splashofbourbon]

You think about asking him to take shorter audiences?

[abardacttofollow]

"If he could, he would." Stefen sets his jaw stubbornly, looking at the blood on his strings. "I don't mind trading my pain for his for a little while."

[splashofbourbon]

People ain't mind readers, Stef. You gotta let 'em know if you're suffering.

[abardacttofollow]

"I don't want to!"

[splashofbourbon]

Why not?

[abardacttofollow]

"He's the King. I need... anyway he needs this. He's in pain all the time. The least I can do is give him enough space to do his job."

[splashofbourbon]

Being a king don't mean you ignore when people're suffering. Being a king means you listen, you do what's right. You think your king over there'd be proud to know you're working to the bone for his sake?

[abardacttofollow]

"N-no..."

[splashofbourbon]

Then you ain't doing him right by keeping it a secret. You gotta tell him.

[abardacttofollow]

"Except that I need... I mean, other Healers are training in what I can do, but..."

[splashofbourbon]

What d'you need outta this, Stef?

[abardacttofollow]

He glances at the door, then back down at his hands.

King Randale starts to get off his throne and come over.

[splashofbourbon]

Security, huh?

[abardacttofollow]

"Stefen?" Randale asks. It looks like it hurts him just to sit down with you both. "Are you all right?"

[splashofbourbon]

[McCree tips his hat to Randale]

'Fraid not, your majesty. Seems like his playing's been taking its toll.