Friends, Romans, Countrymen

Jul 29, 2009 17:59

Who: River Royal, everyone else ever
What: The Demon offer
Where: prison
When: Wednesday midafternoon
Notes: Each cell tag in a different thread.

.............. )

npc: river royal, cassandra of troy, ginny weasley, jean yves, cordy estwynde, cris gainfly, demyx, bret mcclegnie, jacob hood, cherry reyer, barney stinson, lottie noble, cho takahashi

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Cordy, Demyx, and Cassandra melodyofwater July 30 2009, 00:03:36 UTC
Demyx had, for the most part, tried to keep a cheerful demeanor. It was thwarted by being surrounded by so many demons, though, especially since that fight obviously hadn't gone so well. For the elves, anyway- it went pretty good for the demons.

He watched River give his speech, and concluded that this guy probably didn't know about the gate. Brilliant reasoning, I know. But after that, he was quiet until the demon came around.

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Re: Cordy, Demyx, and Cassandra cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 00:38:34 UTC
Cordelia was sitting on the ground of the cell and petting Maurice, who had come skittering back to her after the fighting had ended. Her head hurt something terrible. Whoever had knocked her out had not been gentle about it. But then again, she mused, it was probably difficult to be gentle when you were knocking someone unconscious. Unless you were pinching certain nerves, she had heard that was possible but had no idea what nerves they were. And there probably wasn't time for something like that when someone was pointing an arrow at your heart. Or wherever she had been pointing those arrows. Her aim wasn't really that spectacular. Still, she was glad everyone seemed to have survived--everyone that she knew, anyway. Lottie, Cherry, Hood, Bret ( ... )

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 00:41:36 UTC
The fifth cell, the one with three, might prove to be an interesting challenge. He didn't know how these dynamics might play out.

Keeping his voice as gentle, even and friendly as he had before, he stopped by their cell. "May I have your answer?"

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cassie_of_troy July 30 2009, 00:51:21 UTC
Cassandra stood up, walking directly to River and the bars that separated them. She scrutinized him carefully for a moment. On first impression, she judged him to be horribly charismatic and commanding. Both ideal qualities in a general. Or god. Still, there was something off about him. She couldn't quite put a finger to it. A part of her was very tempted to reach out between the bars and touch his hand, just to see if it caused the feelings but she refrained for the time being. She had a feeling it wasn't worth the risk.

She stared at him a minute or two with her unblinking, black eyes. "I have no abilities," she said softly, "And I have no idea who you are." She paused. "And therefore, I have no quarrel with you." Other than the fact that he had beaten a little girl and thrown her into this prison.

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 00:55:52 UTC
"On the contrary," countered Royal. "You are a shaman, and, by all appearances, an extraordinary and talented one." He folded his hands behind his back, regarding her with an even, friendly gaze.

He nodded, deeply. "Very well," he said. "Then you shall be released." He paused, then - "Is there something you wish to ask me?"

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cassie_of_troy July 30 2009, 01:04:39 UTC
Cassandra gave him a funny look. "Shaman?" she repeated. "What the hell is a shaman?"

There was a small voice in the back of her head, one that sounded oddly like Othryoneus, telling her not to antagonize. She was in a delicate situation, she was his prisoner and therefore totally subejct to his well. And he wasn't Agamemnon. He might have demons haunting him, metaphorically speaking, but his were not on the surface.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said in a softer voice, lowering her eyes and retreating back into the cell.

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 01:17:34 UTC
"A seer," said Royal, evenly. "A visionary. One who sees the energy and magic in the world. And one who speaks to the gods, as I understand it." Though he had never spoken to a god himself.

He shrugged. "As you say," he said. "Nazarene is a shaman herself; I'm sure she'll be able to assist you."

He looked towards the other two in the cell.

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cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 01:24:31 UTC
Carefully setting Maurice down onto the bench, Cordelia rose to her feet. The man was being polite and regal--well, she could surely bring herself to do the same. Despite her dirty clothes, her tangled hair, and the ache in her head, she straightened up her spine and dipped into a regal curtsy.

"Cordelia Estwynde, sir," she murmured politely and looked back up at him. "And though I do appreciate not being slaughtered--I'm sure we all do--I was hoping you could tell me what you've done with the Elves? Particularly, the one named Mikney?"

She wanted to just join the demons and make life easier for herself, she really did, but she just couldn't do it with the lingering thought that perhaps they had killed him. Not after he had been so kind to her when she arrived.

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 01:28:55 UTC
Mikney. Hmm.

He inclined his head, politely, in response to her bow, and considered, briefly.

"I'm afraid I don't know if we have a prisoner by that name," he told her. "Besides the two here, we captured one other, a sorcerer. He's currently being medically treated, and he will be offered the same as you."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "The rest escaped, or were killed on the wall."

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cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 01:34:19 UTC
He was alive. She was surprised at just how relieved that made her feel, and she had no idea why. He still wasn't much more than a stranger.

"Yes, that's him, thank you," she said with an incline of her head. "Is he going to be allowed to go free? What is it you plan on doing with the captured Elves?"

And the next question--oh, she wanted to just shout it at the man, but she was determined to keep her appearance as poised as she could possibly be. "One more question, if you'll allow me to ask." She paused for a moment and continued, almost hesitantly "You said earlier that all you ask from us is that we do not ask against you. Does that also mean that you expect us to fight along side of you?"

She made every attempt to keep her voice from shaking, and to her credit, it remained steady and pleasantly conversational in tone. "I simply ask because--and please don't hold it against us--but several of us did strike up friendships with the Elves. It would be difficult for us to muster the strength to fight against them now."

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 01:47:48 UTC
"Well," considered Royal, "I believe the fairest way is to decide by open tribunal. I would not think to make a decision like that without civilians."

He stepped a hint closer to the bars, and listened, with careful, respectful regard for Cordy's question.

And then he laughed out loud.

"Forgive me," he apologized, "but drafting you, like pack-animals, would be both uncivilized and very foolish. Those who fight for me do so because they choose it, not because I require it of them."

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cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 01:50:59 UTC
Tribunal? That didn't sound all that promising. She would have preferred a more solid answer. "So...they may still be executed?" she asked.

Hoping he wouldn't be offended and reach through the bars to kill her, she added softly, "In which case it seems that giving them medical care would be rather counter-productive, wouldn't you agree?"

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 01:53:06 UTC
"I don't believe a soldier fighting for his general should be executed." Royal's gaze was even, piercing, and there was something intently brusque about it. "Do you?"

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cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 01:56:38 UTC
A sense of guilt flooded over her. She had helped to kill demons last night, demons who had been simply following the orders of a higher commander. Maybe they had children or spouses or pet kittens to look out for. She began to lower her head to look at the ground, when a realization swept through her. She suddenly looked back up at him and for a brief moment, an indignant expression was easily readable on her features--but just as quickly, she masked it with a look of curiosity.

"No, I don't think so. Not particularly. But didn't your men kill such soldiers last night?"

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man_and_monster July 30 2009, 01:59:03 UTC
"That was battle," said Royal. "A field, on which fighters may defend themselves at their will."

He straightened, subtly. "A prisoner is hardly the same, is it?"

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cordy_estwynde July 30 2009, 02:02:40 UTC
At this, Cordelia relented. She wanted to go home and if she argued with him, she wouldn't be winning any battle, she'd only be delaying her stay in this gods-forsaken prison.

She curtsied again. "Thank you for answering the questions," although he hadn't quite answered them as she would have liked, "And yes, I'd like to be released, please."

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