[ In her background, quieter voices--lower and further off as she finishes moving away--dry grass beneath her feet, and a different sort of wind than his, sharp and thin and fast, nothing to catch against. ]
Still on my way. We'll be over the Minanter tomorrow and it's an easy journey from there.
[ A beat, as if she might leave it there. He's back safe; she's close. That's all the information they ought to need. But it's been a long trip, nervy and frustrating, and it's nice to hear his voice. ]
[Her journey could quickly become less easy. But that's true of any journey, of course, and nothing that can be at all controlled, so Darras lets it pass by. Good enough for know that he knows where she is. If they'd had these crystals, before--
Not worth thinking about, he tells himself, before that thought has time to flourish.]
I swam beneath the ship in the dark 'cos it's what was required of me by the Inquisition, of course. [Too soon, maybe, to tease about that. He can't help it, and he goes on to soften it a little for her:] That's only partly true. I did it 'cos it sounded the most interesting in a sea battle. As nearly everything in a sea battle is interesting, you can imagine how keen I was to give a swim like that a go.
[ His comment comes and goes while she's finding a spot to sit, more grass crunching, the whisper of fabric, the wind whistling differently as it eddies around the rocks she's taken refuge behind. No trees here, on the edge of the Silent Plains, but this will do, the sound of the rest of the group (more than a dozen of them) out of earshot now. She heard what he said, but he moved on, and she tries to let him. ]
I can. [ It sounds right up his alley, carved straight out of one of his stories. ] So you did have to fight the Venatori after all?
[That, too, sounds like one of his stories. And Darras lets it, at least for a moment, without trying to sound any more legitimate. He knows that he can't win her stronger affections by talking with her the way he's used to--or not even to win them, he's got them, somewhere, buried but still alive. Unearthing them is the trick. Teasing won't do it. It's a habit hard to break.
After a beat, he walks it back:]
There were a few more than just me. Can't swim beneath a ship in the dark alone, no matter how good of a tale it'd make. And we did take the Venatori and their crew by surprise, considering the Antivan ship stood between theirs and the Walrus.
[ She might not mind one of his stories just now, truth be told, but it's just as well Darras switches gears. Talking about his mission reminds her of her own, still very much in progress despite her effort to put some distance between herself and the rest of the party for a few minutes. She can't afford to turn complacent now. ]
It sounds like a dramatic rescue. Did you fight any mages?
Oh, a fair few. It was a ship full of Venatori, y'know. Couldn't avoid them. But I heeded your advice and kept well clear of them as often as I could. Cut at least one in half, just as I'd said I would.
[So lightly he might not mean it at all, or else it's already become a part of his stories.]
I couldn't be called a coward, after all. Hiding from mages.
Good, they need cutting in half. Carefully. [ Mostly joking, from the sound of it. At least about the 'carefully' part. ]
We haven't met any yet, and I hope we won't. Almost my entire team is rifters, and we picked up more a few days ago. Those escaping the city are in no shape for a fight either.
Almost two dozen [ she says, emphasis on the number, the absurd enormity of it ] trying to travel unnoticed, or pass as missionaries when two-thirds of that number are Rifters with glowing hands who've never heard a word of the Chant.
Nothing kills the confidence like someone taking the time to say everything's fine.
[However lightly he says it, the moment she'd taken time for that aside, Darras had felt the tightening of apprehension. But what is he going to do, out on the ocean as he is? What can he do but trust that Yseult will take care of herself, the way that she always has? If there is one thing that he has believed in, it is that.]
[ There's no fear in her voice, which doesn't necessarily mean anything, but she does sound a little bit annoyed. Maybe that's comforting. Whatever's going on it's clearly got her attention, not really processing his choice of words, confirming more vaguely: ] I'll let you know when I'm back [ before cutting off the message. ]
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Still on my way. We'll be over the Minanter tomorrow and it's an easy journey from there.
[ A beat, as if she might leave it there. He's back safe; she's close. That's all the information they ought to need. But it's been a long trip, nervy and frustrating, and it's nice to hear his voice. ]
Why did you swim beneath the ship in the dark?
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Not worth thinking about, he tells himself, before that thought has time to flourish.]
I swam beneath the ship in the dark 'cos it's what was required of me by the Inquisition, of course. [Too soon, maybe, to tease about that. He can't help it, and he goes on to soften it a little for her:] That's only partly true. I did it 'cos it sounded the most interesting in a sea battle. As nearly everything in a sea battle is interesting, you can imagine how keen I was to give a swim like that a go.
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I can. [ It sounds right up his alley, carved straight out of one of his stories. ] So you did have to fight the Venatori after all?
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[That, too, sounds like one of his stories. And Darras lets it, at least for a moment, without trying to sound any more legitimate. He knows that he can't win her stronger affections by talking with her the way he's used to--or not even to win them, he's got them, somewhere, buried but still alive. Unearthing them is the trick. Teasing won't do it. It's a habit hard to break.
After a beat, he walks it back:]
There were a few more than just me. Can't swim beneath a ship in the dark alone, no matter how good of a tale it'd make. And we did take the Venatori and their crew by surprise, considering the Antivan ship stood between theirs and the Walrus.
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It sounds like a dramatic rescue. Did you fight any mages?
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[So lightly he might not mean it at all, or else it's already become a part of his stories.]
I couldn't be called a coward, after all. Hiding from mages.
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We haven't met any yet, and I hope we won't. Almost my entire team is rifters, and we picked up more a few days ago. Those escaping the city are in no shape for a fight either.
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Sounds--charming? Festive? Bloody frustrating? Like a... better use of your skillset, or worse?
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It's certainly a test of some of my skills. How did you find your companions?
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Still, I'm better off than you, I think.
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[ Muffled noise, the crystals held in her fist. A moment later, her tone's turned quick and business-like. ]
I have to go, we need to move. Everything's fine. I'll see you in a few days.
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[However lightly he says it, the moment she'd taken time for that aside, Darras had felt the tightening of apprehension. But what is he going to do, out on the ocean as he is? What can he do but trust that Yseult will take care of herself, the way that she always has? If there is one thing that he has believed in, it is that.]
I'll be seeing you, then?
[Like, really.]
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[ There's no fear in her voice, which doesn't necessarily mean anything, but she does sound a little bit annoyed. Maybe that's comforting. Whatever's going on it's clearly got her attention, not really processing his choice of words, confirming more vaguely: ] I'll let you know when I'm back [ before cutting off the message. ]