![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I can hardly have the meeting from here [ she protests, though her efforts to break out of his hold are less effective than they might be, tumbling them over in play-fight instead. ] You should rest up while you can. Take a nap. Save your strength for later.
[Grinning, Darras tightens his grip on her, holding her to him. He pushes his nose into the crook of her neck. It's a move that lacks the usual tickle of his beard, making it maybe a little unfamiliar.
Despite her struggle, their mock fight, he keeps his tone conversational.]
Ooh. Walking all the way back t' my rooms. I dunno about that, seems a bit far to me... waste of strength... much better if I were allowed to stay here and nap.
Despite her struggle, their mock fight, he keeps his tone conversational.]
Ooh. Walking all the way back t' my rooms. I dunno about that, seems a bit far to me... waste of strength... much better if I were allowed to stay here and nap.
Edited (oops i wanted a smiley icon) 2019-08-23 16:43 (UTC)
[Distracted first by her twisting, and the speed at which she turns the tables on him--but that's not a surprise, precisely, is it, as many battles as he's been in and as tricky as he fancies himself, Yseult is worth ten of him, and that's something well known--it takes Darras a moment to catch up with what she's said.
He laughs.]
What, here? Am I meant to go and find everything where you've secreted them about and find a new room, then? Didn't know we were at such a premium for space here.
He laughs.]
What, here? Am I meant to go and find everything where you've secreted them about and find a new room, then? Didn't know we were at such a premium for space here.
[ She tucks her face against the bare nape of his neck. ]
You were dead, [ she reminds him, lightly enough but softer ] I didn't want anyone else to go through your things. [ she pushes a joke into her tone as she gives him a shove down onto the bed, slipping free and to her feet: ] My inheritance.
You were dead, [ she reminds him, lightly enough but softer ] I didn't want anyone else to go through your things. [ she pushes a joke into her tone as she gives him a shove down onto the bed, slipping free and to her feet: ] My inheritance.
[It wouldn't be right, to say Darras lets her go, because if she's going, she's going. He doesn't hold to her, is what he doesn't do. Falls back when she shoves him, watches her move across the room to collect her shift, or find new clothes, or just walk around to torment him as she is, whatever she chooses to do. His neck feels warm from the press of her, still, little prickles where her lips had been, mumbling those words.
Oh, right. There were words. Darras raises himself up onto one elbow, looking about.]
Your inheritance is very far away from here. So you've really got my things in here? Where do I take 'em now?
Oh, right. There were words. Darras raises himself up onto one elbow, looking about.]
Your inheritance is very far away from here. So you've really got my things in here? Where do I take 'em now?
Do you have a moment?
[ She doesn't answer right away, having padded into the bath room to wash up. It buys her a minute or two, before she comes back and takes a seat at her dressing table to start trying to corral her hair into a braid. ]
You could stay [ she says, flicking a glance at him in the mirror. ] But if you prefer your own space, I've the key. You can have your same room back.
You could stay [ she says, flicking a glance at him in the mirror. ] But if you prefer your own space, I've the key. You can have your same room back.
I do not think it will come back to you, [ he says, in her office, ] but there was—
[ An incident. The skin around one of his eyes is still faintly mottled. But that’s not unusual. He bites the inside of his mouth while he tries to narrow it down to the relevant details. ]
I owe money to people, and some of them were— [ he gestures to his face ] —feeling insistent. I am handling it. But Artemaeus tried to intervene. He didn’t hurt them, but he. [ Used magic. ] They know we work here. If someone says something. I thought you should know.
[ An incident. The skin around one of his eyes is still faintly mottled. But that’s not unusual. He bites the inside of his mouth while he tries to narrow it down to the relevant details. ]
I owe money to people, and some of them were— [ he gestures to his face ] —feeling insistent. I am handling it. But Artemaeus tried to intervene. He didn’t hurt them, but he. [ Used magic. ] They know we work here. If someone says something. I thought you should know.
Tareisa de Baeça and Metigan Thoral. She’s a gambler, he’s a—lender.
[ Only one of immediate relevance, but now that he’s enduring this conversation at all, he at least knows better than to try hiding any balls. ]
These were Thoral’s people.
[ Only one of immediate relevance, but now that he’s enduring this conversation at all, he at least knows better than to try hiding any balls. ]
These were Thoral’s people.
[He's rescued his trousers from off the floor, and he's pulled them on when she comes back into the room. Moved on to pulling on his boots when she makes that suggestion. Or is it an offer? Or a question.
Darras meets her eyes in the mirror. Sees Yseult, reflected, and himself over her shoulder. The tangle of bedsheets and the curtains at the window. She's every version of her that he's known, in the mirror. Right back to the day that he came in from the rain and saw her down the bar. And he's every version of himself as well. Used to see mirrors only in shops. Used to be a stupid child, charmed by stories, pretending life wasn't shit.
He looks back down at his boot so he can pull it on, breaking their gaze a moment.]
Who says I'm interested in space?
Darras meets her eyes in the mirror. Sees Yseult, reflected, and himself over her shoulder. The tangle of bedsheets and the curtains at the window. She's every version of her that he's known, in the mirror. Right back to the day that he came in from the rain and saw her down the bar. And he's every version of himself as well. Used to see mirrors only in shops. Used to be a stupid child, charmed by stories, pretending life wasn't shit.
He looks back down at his boot so he can pull it on, breaking their gaze a moment.]
Who says I'm interested in space?
I asked. [ Yseult watches his reflection for another beat, a faint furrow dug between her brows, and then finishes up her braid. It's a thick simple plait, not the neatest she's ever managed, but it settles over one shoulder as she rises to pull on a clean shift and a simple dress, undyed fabric nearly white, belted at the waist and the neck left open, lapels pulled wide.
She turns from her wardrobe to set a hand on his side, the bare skin above his trousers. She looks down at him, every familiar inch of muscle and tattoo and scar. ]
Then stay. Just be quiet until I'm done.
She turns from her wardrobe to set a hand on his side, the bare skin above his trousers. She looks down at him, every familiar inch of muscle and tattoo and scar. ]
Then stay. Just be quiet until I'm done.
[He catches her hand before she's had a chance to lift it away. The warm press of her palm against his side lingers, a handprint that lasts. Darras lifts her hand so he can kiss it--once, on the back, and then again when he flips it over and kisses the flats of her fingers, just above the palm. Even with him newly shaved, it will still tickle.]
If I'm staying, are you absolutely certain you can't stay as well? Seems only right.
If I'm staying, are you absolutely certain you can't stay as well? Seems only right.
[ She smiles as she curves her hand to cup his jaw before drawing away. ]
It's an important meeting, and they'll be here any moment. Nap for an hour and you won't even miss me.
[ She's kissed him on the cheek, stepped into shoes, and is shutting the office door behind her almost before he has a chance to respond. The meeting can be overheard if he cares to press his ear to the door, and it won't be hard to tell she gets drawn into two more immediately after, division members come knocking on her door unscheduled. But a couple hours later she finally sticks her head in. ]
Sorry. I've some urgent reports still to read but you don't need to hide any longer.
It's an important meeting, and they'll be here any moment. Nap for an hour and you won't even miss me.
[ She's kissed him on the cheek, stepped into shoes, and is shutting the office door behind her almost before he has a chance to respond. The meeting can be overheard if he cares to press his ear to the door, and it won't be hard to tell she gets drawn into two more immediately after, division members come knocking on her door unscheduled. But a couple hours later she finally sticks her head in. ]
Sorry. I've some urgent reports still to read but you don't need to hide any longer.
[He'd listened, idly, for awhile. Not much to hear and he probably wouldn't be all that interested in it even if there were. Perhaps that's a false assumption. Yseult is the spymaster now, or whatever the title. Stands to reason that she'd come across a few interesting secrets here and there, but Darras can guess that he wouldn't care.
Her personal possessions are nothing new to him, so he'd not bothered snooping. And now that he knows to look, there are his meager possessions, too, mixed in with hers. Satisfied, Darras had gotten back into the bed and done as she'd suggested--sleep a little longer, waking every now and then when the creak of the door in the next room announced a new visitor, or heralded a departure. The murmur of voices, far away.
He's dozing when at last she puts her head around the door--jumps all the way awake, and stretches his arms over his head.
He calls to her, already back in the next room--]
You lied, y'know!
Her personal possessions are nothing new to him, so he'd not bothered snooping. And now that he knows to look, there are his meager possessions, too, mixed in with hers. Satisfied, Darras had gotten back into the bed and done as she'd suggested--sleep a little longer, waking every now and then when the creak of the door in the next room announced a new visitor, or heralded a departure. The murmur of voices, far away.
He's dozing when at last she puts her head around the door--jumps all the way awake, and stretches his arms over his head.
He calls to her, already back in the next room--]
You lied, y'know!
I didn't lie! [ She calls back with a laugh ] The other meetings were unscheduled. Anyway, I've locked the door now. Unless it's a true emergency they'll come back tomorrow.
[ If/when he emerges, she is seated on the couch by the window rather than at the desk, the near corner of it out of the direct sunlight. She's kicked off her shoes and folded legs on the seat, a report in hand and a stack of others beside her. ]
I had them bring up food if you're hungry [ she adds. It's on the sideboard, a light lunch laid out beneath cloth napkins to keep the flies away. There are jugs of water and lemonade, too, and one pitcher that's just frozen solid, some chunks seemingly chipped away out of the top already. ]
[ If/when he emerges, she is seated on the couch by the window rather than at the desk, the near corner of it out of the direct sunlight. She's kicked off her shoes and folded legs on the seat, a report in hand and a stack of others beside her. ]
I had them bring up food if you're hungry [ she adds. It's on the sideboard, a light lunch laid out beneath cloth napkins to keep the flies away. There are jugs of water and lemonade, too, and one pitcher that's just frozen solid, some chunks seemingly chipped away out of the top already. ]
They do now.
[ The resentment in his tone is, at least, somewhat muted. That particular thing is Benedict’s fault. Kostos knows the rest of it is his. And— ]
Maybe they knew before. I am easy enough to follow.
[ Is that the sort of thing he should be telling His Boss, The Scoutmaster, without clarifying that he means here in Kirkwall when he isn’t trying—and also elsewhere when he is trying, just not so easy—
Whatever. Too late. ]
[ The resentment in his tone is, at least, somewhat muted. That particular thing is Benedict’s fault. Kostos knows the rest of it is his. And— ]
Maybe they knew before. I am easy enough to follow.
[ Is that the sort of thing he should be telling His Boss, The Scoutmaster, without clarifying that he means here in Kirkwall when he isn’t trying—and also elsewhere when he is trying, just not so easy—
Whatever. Too late. ]
Will they come back tomorrow, or will they just continue to knock? You're very important, y'know.
[He'd left his trousers on when he'd gone back to sleep, and slipped on a shirt if only to stop gooseflesh from standing on his skin. The tower is cool. Must be all the stone. At the sideboard, he inspects everything on offer. The frozen pitcher is the most interest, in that he can't tell what it is. Darras lifts it, trying to tip it so that he can catch the light.
Hm.]
Read me one of those.
[The reports. He nods to them, before he tips the pitcher in the other direction, trying to see inside.]
[He'd left his trousers on when he'd gone back to sleep, and slipped on a shirt if only to stop gooseflesh from standing on his skin. The tower is cool. Must be all the stone. At the sideboard, he inspects everything on offer. The frozen pitcher is the most interest, in that he can't tell what it is. Darras lifts it, trying to tip it so that he can catch the light.
Hm.]
Read me one of those.
[The reports. He nods to them, before he tips the pitcher in the other direction, trying to see inside.]
Diplomacy has received a fair number of requests from Hightown for mages specializing in creating ice. Would you care to review the names, and see if there's any need to have eyes and ears in these households?
[ how interested in gathering hot goss are you, yseult ]
[ how interested in gathering hot goss are you, yseult ]
Er. Hello, Scout Master. Adasse Agassi. Scouting Division. I was just wondering ... I mean, if you don't want me to, I won't, but it might be useful to -
[Well, he's just making a brilliant impression, isn't he? Right.]
Anyways - considering how many of ours tend to get captured, and the like, I was thinking of offering lock-picking lessons to the general Riftwatch public. If that's all right, with you.
[Well, he's just making a brilliant impression, isn't he? Right.]
Anyways - considering how many of ours tend to get captured, and the like, I was thinking of offering lock-picking lessons to the general Riftwatch public. If that's all right, with you.
Page 14 of 55