two can keep a secret if one is mutilated

[timesbureaucrat]

Who: Ardent and Narvin (and possibly others in a later thread?)
What: Dwarf history is serious business
Where: Ardent's cabin mine
When: forward dated to right around the end of the parents flood
Warnings: blood, gore, violence

Comments

[deepdowndark]

So he had finally arrived. Ardent was much more nervous and apprehensive about what Narvin might know than he wanted to be, as he thought he'd kept most his secrets well. But he wanted to know, he didn't like being left in the light with this.

He opened the door, leaving the small piece of metalwork he was working on for later, and only after making sure his axe was away and his bread to hand. It might not be Narvin.

He looked up at him, "So you're here to tell me, Narvin?"

[timesbureaucrat]

Narvin ducked slightly to enter Ardent's mine. He scanned the area briefly, noted that the axe was not in sight. Good, he didn't want Ardent getting clumsy with over confidence in his ability to keep it at least somewhat secret. He perched on a stool and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth for a few nanospans, tapping them against his lips as he considered how best to approach the topic

[deepdowndark]

Ardent tried to figure out what he was getting at here, but eventually, it became relatively plain, and his expression stiffened, and he turned away from Narvin, idly finding something to fiddle with on his desk as he spoke, "If those citizens have betrayed the traditions of a society, the nature of a society and identity, then they have rescinded their citizenship." He spoke coldly, and much like he had done to Vimes in the mine when discussing Hamcrusher's murder.

"Was this what you wanted to tell me? Your story of why you're a warden and I'm not, and how, conversely, you abandoned the principles of your society for the sake of being smug you didn't get your hands dirty? I thought your hands were pretty dirty as it were, Narvin."

He was a little bitter, and a little forceful, but his tone remained calm for the moment.

[timesbureaucrat]

"On Gallifrey, citizens aren't required to share all the same ideologies, political affiliations, or even like each other. A point I didn't really appreciate until those civil protections were whittled away during the Time War and I was the one being vaporized for dissension."

He sighed in frustration. "I never said my hands were clean. But there are some things worth killing for and some things that are not." He took the Cube from his pocket and tossed it on Ardent's desk. "That is not worth killing your own people over."

For when y'all are ready...

[blackbladebitch]

Elric would have liked to claim that he took up Stormbringer reluctantly, and indeed he did curse his own weakness as he unlocked the cabinet that held the runesword. But, he told himself, it was only fair to take this extra precaution; Ardent had spoken of a magical metal called octiron, and who knew what else he may have had to defend himself.

"Ah, old friend," he murmured, as he strapped the black scabbard around his waist, "perhaps I have let thee lie quiet too long indeed."

And the sword let out a soft sound almost like a whine, as if in agreement.

The fallen prince of Melniboné made his way quietly to Ardent's room. He could hear something within -- shouting? Trouble, no matter what; certainly danger. Without hesitation, he flung himself against the door, bursting it open.

"Ardent!"

Re: For when y'all are ready...

[deepdowndark]

Ardent's hand were covered in blood at this point, and he'd just thrown his metal working equipment to one side, sure that Narvin was not bleeding to death, as dying would actually ruin the plan here, Ardent set about trying to untie Narvin's hands so he could break his fingers. The Dwarf bread should do that well enough.

Except the door had just burst open, and he was caught with the bread in his hands. It was pitch black inside, but the dramatic entrance was enough to make him panic a little, "Get out!"

He took a step over Narvin and reached for his axe. He'd have to kill them. He couldn't be interrupted. Getting caught was fine, being interrupted was a problem.

[blackbladebitch]

The runes on Stormbringer's blade began to glow and the sword let out an eerie metallic moan, as if it scented Narvin's blood in the air. The glow was just enough to see by in the darkness: shadows and movement, but little more. Still, it was enough for Elric.

"Ardent! Don't be a fool. You have done enough damage as it is, I think. Come quietly."

[deepdowndark]

The glow didn't put Ardent off one bit. He was used to that kind of thing, although the moan was certainly distracting. He grabbed his axe and shook his head, "This is damage control, Elric."

Then he moved to swing his axe at Elric, a little blindly in his anger.

Please comment me when it's Buffy/Four time. :)

[aboutpower]

((I'll be around all night but for the next like.. 8 hours I'll be busy. I'm sorry D:))

Re: Please comment me when it's Buffy/Four time. :)

[blackbladebitch]

((If it's okay with Kim, they can bust in and try to slow Elric down before he kills Ardent, but they won't succeed, obvs. :\ Otherwise they can show up after Ardent's been skewered, I reckon.))

Re: Please comment me when it's Buffy/Four time. :)

[aboutpower]

((ALL IS GOOD. :D Also, I'm gonna start a Buffy/Elric spam in her journal post so that Buffy can escort Elric back to his room to put the sword away, is that cool?))

Re: Please comment me when it's Buffy/Four time. :)

[blackbladebitch]

(Let's do it!)