Topic: The Time Has Come

Sid

Date: 2008-04-22 05:44 EST
'The time has come,' the Walrus said, 'To talk of many things: Of shoes — and ships — and sealing wax — Of cabbages — and kings — And why the sea is boiling hot — And whether pigs have wings.' from The Walrus and The Carpenter by Lewis Carroll

The last two cycles before spring often give way to fevered thoughts, brash moves " rash behaviors. Perhaps it is such heightened sensitivities that bring the Ancient's tongue to loose as she and Lucien stroll arm in arm from the Inn. Perhaps the season is what brings that barbed and prickly grin to bear on thin lips for what Belial's open invite to Blood House means " At last, Lankyn. There were no excuses now.

Then again, perhaps it is not the season and just that the time has come.

Of the multitudes Sid has known throughout existence very few did she ever call friend. In this moment, these years in this realm, besides the handful of siblings and family there are three in Rhy'Din who hold that distinction without thought. One she walks with now and another with whom they are to speak on.

Now the time has come. Guilt rains from the fact she has kept it from Lucien this long. Not as harsh as the guilt she felt from the taking of the scroll all those years back, but close.

Guilt. Will we ever rid ourselves of this we do not like" Is it even possible to pick and choose"

Arm in arm the Ancient and the Barrister step off the Red Dragon's front porch. Glamoured blue eyes take in their surroundings in a quick but thorough assessment before she turns a smile to her friend, opting for some casual conversation until they are well beyond the Inn. "So, how be Alysia?"

Sid was not the greatest hand at small talk, it always felt odd to her and the question to Lucky is followed by a slight half shrug of shoulders as if apologizing for her lameness. Another strange habit Sid has picked up since the spell.

The Barrister draws a deep breath of the cold night air, an easy smile tugging at the corner of his mouth at her query. A rare warmth lighting in eyes of ice blue as they settle on his friend. "Alysia is doing alright. She's a busy lady, you know?" he offers in reply, letting Sid set the pace of the conversation. "How are Scottie and the children?"

"Ah, well....Thin's in Summer for me mate an' bairns be goin' fine. Scottie be catchin' up business o' the kingdom an' the twins be growin' like weeds, happy for all the space to play an' run. E'en Faye, they nanny, seems to 'ave acclimated nicely."

Pale lids drop, her eyes sweeping to the ground a moment, a heavy sigh falling as she murmurs. "At least, it all be appearin' to go well."

Slipping his free hand into his pocket, Lucien keeps a casual gait alongside the Ancient. His gaze cast out on the road stretched before them, but not for long.

Soon his attention returns to his friend at her confession carried on a murmured sigh, a light furrow marking his brow before it eases into a gentler expression. "What is going on, M'Friend?" he queries in a quiet tone.

Those glamoured eyes meet his ice blue ones as a small, genuine smile warms the angular face. "Ye know, m'friend, I be thinkin' mayhaps talkin' it o'er with ye be helpin'. But..." Slim shoulders tense briefly under her leather and once again her gaze sweeps their surroundings. "Mayhaps we can be takin' tha' up after we be speakin' on wha' I be thinkin' it be time for ye to hear. Aye?"

The furrow upon his brow eases altogether and a smile again was evident behind the neatly trimmed beard. Lucien bows his head to Sid, his smile tugging to a crooked grin. "I am all ears, M'Friend. And admittedly curious as to hear what it is that you've to tell me."

Their walk was easy, just two pals out for a breath of air on a Rhy'Din night. Still, while walking meant it could be much harder for other ears to listen in, it was not impossible. A fox lit grin marks the Ancient's lips and Lucien might note a shimmer of violet rippling the air around the pair after they move three more paces along the road, a hint of quicksilver flashing in those summer's blue eyes. "Canna be too careful these days."

The gaze of his ice blues turns from his friend and glances about their surroundings as the faint shimmer colors the immediate vicinity. He chuckles quietly, returning his attentions, nodding in concession. "No, one can never be too careful."

"Nae in this burg, as ye well know. Now..." Sid does not relax her alert awareness of the landscape, but it is time to lay the cards on the table, so to speak. Perhaps it was the spell, these tricksey emotions. Whatever it is she does not feel comfortable keeping this particular information from someone she considers friend true.

"Wha' do ye know o' Guthorm an' wha' he be doin' workin' for DCH, m'friend?" gesturing about them with her free hand. "Ye can speak openly, nae a thin' be gettin' through."

A breath, then another passes, his lips pressing into a thin line before breaking his momentary silence to speak. "I....I had heard that the Captain was..." pausing, trying to pull that recollection from a whirling fog of images. "That he was spying on them, or trying to infiltrate them."

He shakes his head, glancing over at the Ancient. "Beyond that, I have no idea what Guthorm is doing, other than getting himself into trouble."

Idly disquieted the Ancient wonders whom Lucky heard this from. Passing a nod, elflocks a sharp and clear ringle, she takes a deep breath. "Ye be hearin' right. I only be hopin' tha' who ye be hearin' such from can be trusted to nae spill the beans, as it be."

Quicksilver spark in glamoured blue eyes, she meets the Barrister's gaze dead on. "Ye be understandin' why such a ruse be needin' kept close to the vest. Guthorm be nae asked to do this, but he be goin' ahead with his plan nae matter wha' any be sayin' to him. Ye know him well an' know how..." Sid cannot help the slight chuckle. "Determined he can be."

A deep breath drawn, Lucien nods, a small furrow on his brow. "Yes, it is someone I would trust my life with." He couldn't help but grin, although very little humor colors his expression. "I know how stubborn the Captain can be, and I know this is something he would have jumped at himself. I just..." another shake of his head. "I don't know, Sid. I just don't know."

Tucking her chin contemplatively to her chest, Sid pauses a moment and then gives one more nod. "I dun be likin' it either, m'friend. In me opinion he be playin' too close to the fire."

Arm slipping free of the Barrister's waist, hands fly skywards; head dropping back, elflocks ringle slightly off-key. "He be frellin' mortal, Lucien! I dun be likin' this one frakkin' bit, but I couldna change his mind. All I could be doin' be to work it so wha' he be playin' at be covered as best as can be. An', aye, I dun be denyin' we be usin' his infiltration. An'..."

Stopping mid-stride, she turns to face her friend, hands falling to rest atop her hips. "This canna be goin' any further, but I wan' ye to know tha' Belial an' I be 'avin' someone in there to watch the Captain's back closer'n we or ours can be gettin'. I wan' ye to be knowin' this because I wan' ye to know Guthorm's back be got as best as we can be gettin' it."

Lucien stops walking as the Ancient's arm slips from his waist, his own falling from around her shoulders. He slides his hand into his pocket, falling a step behind while regarding the Trueblood.

Confusion flickers across his tired features, lighting in his eyes briefly; one moment there, then gone the next. It is replaced by a severe frown, then a concerned furrow; bits and pieces of memories and images flashing across his thoughts.

"Have you seen the Captain, of late, Sid" Have you or Bel heard from him?"

A silvered brow rises at the brief confusion on Lucien's face. She was well familiar with that look. "I 'ave nae seen him, an' I dun believe Bel be doin' so, either. I do seem to recall hearin' somethin' o' him bein' at the Inn nae lon' back. Howe'er, in all honesty, me sense o' time can be skewed wha' with travellin' between Rhy'Din an' Summer.

"Still, since the explosion, I believe Guthorm's position within DCH be elevated. Now, trust me, I dun believe for a single moment tha' the Senior partners be truly gone and dead, but the "new management" will be workin' double an' triple time tryin' to establish theyselves, tryin' to ingratiate theyselves an' they own way o' doin' thin's.

"A lot o' they employees did die in tha' disaster, I 'ave to think tha' Guthorm be worked hard about now. But, I be gettin' in touch with t'other an' see if'n they can be makin' contact with the Captain jus' to put ye mind an' me own at ease. Tha' be soundin' good to ye?"

Lips thin to a tight line. Lucien nods slowly, offering nothing for the moment. Brows remain etched in a deep furrow. "I don't believe Howe and his 'illustrious' partners are gone, by any stretch of the imagination." A small grin breaks his dour expression, but there is an edge to his features. "Although one can always hope, right?"

His look eases and he lets out a sigh, trying to relieve the weight pressing in his chest and nodding his concession. "Don't put the Captain in danger." Shaking his head and allowing a little humorless grin. "Well, in any more danger."

Again the Ancient nods to the thought of hope and continues to listen, feeling the weight that presses her friend. It is still odd this empathy. The hurt she feels when those she cares for are in pain or trouble. It does not sit well and tears at her insides until they are in knots.

Teeth grip her lower lip as she takes up pace again at the Barrister's side. "I an' Bel be tryin' all we can, Lucien, to assure Guthorm's safety. Would tha' he be listenin' in the first place an' nae taken this route, but he couldna be swayed. I dun be likin' it anymore than ye, m'friend. I worry. An', well....I be nae sure if'n ye understan' this, but worryin' be somethin' I be nae verra familiar with, among other feelin's.

"I promise to ye tha' I be doin' all I can to keep the Captain from fallin' to danger."

Lucky gave Sid a smile, slipping his arm around her shoulders, and started walking down the road once again. "You get used to the worrying. Along with the other feelings, M'Friend," leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"The Captain is headstrong and stubborn and once he sets his mind to it, there is no changing it," offering quietly. "We each must do what we feel is right."

His voice falling even quieter with the last.

"I dun be thinkin' I be e'er gettin' used to mos' o' them, m'friend," said as the lanky Trueblood slides her own arm around the Barrister's waist, returning a kiss to his cheek and looking about as they near the area where his townhouse resides.

"Tha' last be soundin' ominous, m'friend. Be it somethin' to do with ye look o' confusion earlier" Be it somethin' ye mayhaps wan' to talk about' I be here if'n ye needs someone to listen."

Lucky gives a light toss of his head, keeping his attention on the road before them, watching the play of shadows and light off the pavement. "I'm always confused about something, Sid," allowing with a self-effacing grin.

"And I appreciate the offer, M'Friend. I just....just need to figure some things out. Besides, I'm the listener here, remember?" adding the last with a wink.

Snugging him close with one arm and continuing their trek, she chuckles low. "Aye, tha' ye mos' definitely be, m'friend. An' a gran' one at tha'. Still, I do be here an' make a good set o' ears to let loose upon meself, if'n ye e'er feel the need."

Rounding a corner, shadows in an alley across the way catch her eye until she notes the chase of feline and rodent amongst trash bins. A look back to Lucien and her voice is kept light, though concern for him nestles in those glamoured blues for a moment. "Ye keep a lot o' thin's bottled close, m'friend. I get tha', believe me. Jus' know tha' should ye e'er wan' to release ye....demons, I be ye friend an' I be here for ye, too."

Lifting his gaze off the street and settling it on his friend, he chuckles quietly and nods. "Yes, I'm very good at keeping things close to the vest, as it were. Perhaps it's all those years of lawyering," the Barrister remarks with a crooked grin.

His grin eases to a smile of genuine warmth. "I know you are here for me, Sid. And it helps to know that, M'Friend. Careful now, though. I've many demons and not good ones to be released."

Lucky draws another breath and turns his attention out over the cityscape. "When things quiet down, we should just sit around and swap our crazy stories. Just for kicks."

"There be nae a thin' ye can be releasin' tha' can be trouble for me, Lucien. But, aye, at the next sign o' quiet..." Sid laughs then, genuinely and warm. "Ye, meself, Belial, an' the Captain should all be sittin' around 'avin' a few drinks an' tellin' our tales. Shall we make tha' a standin' date, then, if'n the cosmos be allowin' it?"

He chuckles quietly with measured levity and nods, turning his attention back to the Ancient. "I think we'd have earned it, M'Friend. All of us. And forget the cosmos, we'll make it happen."