don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

They've wasted too much of the blood of the executed for me to think they'd extract them there.

[ ... Easier to kill, huh? she can't refute that, but if Susan's thinking she's more invulnerable than she is... well, that's for the best. ]

[ninehundredlives]

[Susan has no fucking idea what Elda's deal is, and frankly wouldn't have thought painkillers could harm a vampire. That might have been a lie, as far as she's concerned. But...well, she's not going to ask.]

They could have only taken Blue's, anyway. Unless they really wanted to see what would happen if a human got a mermaid blood transfusion.

[Sounds like a bad time.]

[matchbreaker]

... I wouldn't have minded.

[ Just saying. ]

[ninehundredlives]

[Great. Fantastic.]

They don't seem eager to kill us themselves, outside of punishments and the time limit. It would throw their little setup off.

[matchbreaker]

No, it's true. Clearly, there's something to be gained from this set up, these mechanics. They even have specific contingencies for something... well, like what happened with Green.

[ A beat, and looking at the secrets: ]

... This has happened many times before.

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah. Either they didn't get what they wanted before, or...they just aren't finished yet.

Alena told me that we were Jericho's selections. He wanted us for this, specifically. Either she didn't know his reasons, or she just wouldn't say, but it wasn't random.

[matchbreaker]

[ you know, this is the second time she's referenced alena's private stuff: ]

Do you find her friendly?

[ninehundredlives]

...no. That's not a word I'd use.

[matchbreaker]

Good.

[ what the fuck is wrong with Sigrun. ]

[ninehundredlives]

It's ridiculous that people would. She is one of the ones keeping us here?

[Susan is also talking about Sigrun tbh]

[matchbreaker]

She is. I'm not totally clear what her stake in things is, but she is.

[ . . .

. . . ]

I owe you an apology, by the way.

[ninehundredlives]

She's a really strange girl.

[Said none too fondly. Susan could probably theorize about her a little bit more, but...oh?]

Oh, yeah?

[matchbreaker]

Yes.

[ she bows her head a little, and- ]

My husband only passed recently, but I was flaunting what happiness I've had before now. Clearly, that was insensitive for you of all people.

[ninehundredlives]

.......yeah. That.

[She looks away, folding her arms uncomfortably.] It's fine. It's not like you knew. [.....] It was a little over a year ago now, for me.

[matchbreaker]

Even so, I'd have felt bad to say nothing.

[ . . . ]

That's simply awful, I'm sorry.

[ninehundredlives]

...thank you.

We weren't as happy as you were, I think. Definitely not, by the end of it. I was angry at him for a lot of things. I guess maybe I still am, a bit. But I never wanted that.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Hah.

Elda's lips press together, and she nods. She won't ask for clarification. No, if they weren't happy she- ]

... Honestly, for how blessed I was, I'm still mad at James for leaving me first. I know that's trite by comparison, but I hope it makes it clear that perfection has faults too. That man was gentle, kind - to a fault. He never drank enough blood, and by the end, it damaged his health. That handsome fool died in his sleep.

[ninehundredlives]

...I'm sorry.

[A good way to go, in her opinion. But that's not something you say.]

[matchbreaker]

[ To have ignored a kiss from his lover...

It's still so weighty on her chest. ]

It's just going to be silly if we keep up a circle of that, isn't it? Let's change topics.

[ninehundredlives]

We'll probably get more than enough of it.

[Her fear with her own secret was never really that other people would blame her for it. She just didn't want their pity. And now...well. It is what it is.]

Have you talked to Sayaka since we got out of there? She looked...really bad. [Literally everyone did, but you know.]

[matchbreaker]

Am I the girl's keeper now?

[ . . . But. ]

... Yes, I did. I made certain to hunt her down.

[ninehundredlives]

She cares a lot about you.

[It's not the same thing, but it's something.]

That's good. She...it's probably good for her to talk.

[matchbreaker]

... She does. It is a strange choice, on her part.

[ninehundredlives]

People make a lot of strange choices. I just hope hers work out for her.

[Better than Susan's, at least.]

I get the feeling they kept her pretty penned up, at home.

[matchbreaker]

That sounds accusing of me.

[ Exhale. ]

... Yes, it seems so.