abardacttofollow | QUIET MOUNDS

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QUIET MOUNDS - STEF HEART

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.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Surprisingly (?) Nothing happens.

[pricks her ears in interest at that; she's also sort of coolly bitter at the whole picture, privately. that doesn't really have a place here tho. goes to Stef instead]

He looks up at her, partially tranced but coming enough out of it to recognize her and shaking it off more as she approaches. His fingers have blistered, and the blisters have started to tear on the strings.

[leans against his shoulder; can she lend him her Gift? she can't heal much, but if he's been playing that long he's probably magically as well as physically exhausted.]

He leans against her in return, drawing a breath as she gives him a bit of extra energy. "Thank you."

:Of course, my dear. Have you been doing this to your fingers with every audience--?:

"Not every one," he says.

:You shouldn't play your fingers off, my dear. That's far too literal, even for a performer as spirited as you are.:

[it comes out far more gentle than teasing]

He smiles a little. "It's him or me, you know? And most of the time, it's him. I can at least make it me when he needs it to do what he has to do."

[glances at the useless crown on the dais]

:It's something I fear you must both put down at times, or no one will be playing shortly.:

"It won't be indefinite. He's..." He bites his lower lip, like saying it is going too far.

:Dying. Yes, I can see.:

[her 'voice' is oddly calm and final about it, but it may just be that she needs to process a lot around that at once right now... the tone gentles more again.]

:What will happen to you then, Stefen?:

"I'll be fine." It's at least half-confident. "Others will figure out the trick soon and I've... I mean, I've helped out the next in line."

Gives her a tired look like, I'm not proud.

:...I don't think you need to worry. I think you've more than proved your place here, my dear.:

He looks down at his bloodied fingers.

"I wish I could do more. But I can't, can I."

Edited 2017-08-08 02:53 (UTC)

[her mental 'voice' is kind, but thoughtful]

:We can all only do so much. That tends to make most of us feel less secure-- not more.:

"So I'll trade my pain for a little more of that. It's a pretty small trade. He's not getting anything back."

...

[nudges his shoulder]

:You don't need to wish to do more than your share to earn your place, lad. That's a choice you make in kindness. Remember to be kind to yourself, as well.:

Randale has gotten up to reclaim his crown, and comes to sit down with you two rather than on the throne. He's flagging badly now that Stefen isn't playing, but he does it anyway. "Here now, you overdid it, didn't you...?"

:Both of you...:

[nuzzles both Randale and Stefen's hair; ugh this is sad 8(

and familiar, honestly. TWO HERALD-TYPES HERALDING AT EACH OTHER, despite Stef's non-Herald status. details]

:Please, tell me how to help.:

[...make that three.]

"Well," Randale says. "I think I'll bandage these hands."

"Your majesty-"

Randale puts the lute to one side and examines Stefen's hands. "I don't know how to help other than that."

[sighs. both of you.

quietly gets up and takes the lute to the platform, too]

[click]

[returns to them both]

:Sire, Stef and I will help you sit again, before he rests...:

[glances at Stef but she's pretty sure he's down]

"Of course!"

He gets up hurriedly, helping Randale up.

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