☆ Event Log: Snatched, Part Two

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Snatched - Part Two

I. A Great Escape (20th, Evening) It's been a miserable six days for the Mirrorbound and refugees kept locked away in a basement cell block, subject to all kinds of torment and experimentation. They're a resilient sort, though, and their efforts to organize and bolster each other are not in vain. As the time passes with no sign of the City Guard drawing close to their operations, the Rathmore family grows overconfident, and characters can hear them talking to each other about another mass-kidnapping in the works. The best opening comes late on the night of the 20th. A few of the family's numbers are out - notably, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother are attending an emergency meeting of Parliament, and Constance is making an appearance at the Coven. This leaves the more inexperienced cousins in charge, the lesser known Rathmores with no particular skill outside of cruelty. Changing of the guard begins as usual, a handful of Rathmores delivering some sparse rations and taking their time to choose a few prisoners to remove from their cells, but this time, the Mirrorbound bite back. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Daenerys and Asura, along with the prisoners preparing an organized revolt, a fire started in the torture room provides chaos and cover - and one dead Rathmore cousin, whose body gives up some of the keys to a handful cells. Time to play the cards you've held close to your chest over days of torture, your held-back spells, your tricks, your items that weren't confiscated. A mass escape isn't likely, with so many people still present in the building and so many of the captives injured and tired, but with enough of a distraction in the form of a prison riot, which may be enough to overpower the three Rathmores initially left in the cell block, a handful of scrappy Mirrorbound may make it out to safety before reinforcements arrive. a. The Escape Attempt There is one door out of the cell block, the main, heavy, warded door that the Rathmores enter and exit from every few hours. It's locked down tight - but it's possible to power through it, pick the lock, or charm it open. On the other side of the door, in the greater basement area, they'll find themselves free of the Bond dampening. Witch magic make take some time to return, depending on whether they were drugged or only charmed, but it'll be important to move quickly. The Rathmores' basement area is large - the size of the mansion above and the grounds put together, and they'll find themselves on the lower of two levels. The cellblock turns out to be a room within an even bigger room, with the stairs at the opposite end. The dangers are numerous: magical and mechanical traps set in areas marked off-limits, illusions intended to confuse and turn people around. There is only one completely safe path from the cellblock door to the stairs, unless they take the time to disarm the traps and illusions with their returning magic and abilities. That safe path is faster but more exposed, with two or three Rathmores in pursuit, and also the other people that could occasionally be heard outside the door - young aristocrats in on the kidnapping, who thought the Mirrorbound would be sent home. They're just as surprised to see you as you are them. In fact, it's not difficult to overpower these non-Rathmore kidnappers; they're obviously shocked to see Mirrorbound still here, in such states, and some are quite angry, or scared to learn what they've inadvertently gotten themselves into. A good handful flee instead of fight, but some others follow through on the shouted orders to go after you. Use the chaos your appearance causes to your advantage. Once escapees reach the upper basement level, up the stairs and through a hidden door, a few more traps remain, but up here, it looks more like a normal basement; servants' quarters, empty for some time now, storage rooms full of antiques, and winding hallways connecting them. It's easier to hide in this dusty maze to escape any pursuers, and eventually, they find the servants' exit out onto the back grounds. From there, freedom is just a run and a decorative, wrought-iron fence away. b. The Chaos Back in the cells, everything descends into chaos. The Rathmores are furious; while two or three of the cousins go after the escapees, the rest begin to gather down in the cell block, put out the fire, and the interrogations begin. They don't bother taking prisoners out to torment them now - they can't, with their torture room charred and smokey. Their main focus is forcing prisoners back in, and locking everything down with magic and heavy chains, to ensure no one else gets out. They grow more vicious now, and they begin speaking directly to the captives - they want to know which ones got free, how they managed it, who helped them, where they're going, who they're going to tell. Those who refuse to talk will be gagged or muzzled or simply beaten without finesse, and they'll move on to the next captive. Preying on the Mirrorbound's camaraderie with each other is the tactic they quickly turn to, hurting one to try and make another talk. The talk outside the main door grows louder in these few hours, angrier. Occasionally one of the Rathmore cousins will go out to spin some lies, or simply shout down any protesting. Some of the enchantments were damaged in the riot, though - they can hear you, just as well as you can hear them, muffled but still mostly clear. The more they hear from within, the more the confusion outside grows; all the better for the escaped Mirrorbound. ..."What's going on? Those were Mirrorbound that got out-" "We thought you were sending them home!" "You told us there was no risk, that this would make them leave-" "You don't need to worry about that! Go back upstairs!" "Someone needs to get a message to our Uncle Thomas immediately-"... They're all panicking as their grand plans, flimsy as they may have been, start to crumble around them. It's just a matter of time, now. The OOC post for the escape plotting is here if anyone needs to refer back to it! Eight characters will be escaping first thanks to a joint effort. The rescue will be underway within two hours of their escape, but those two hours are likely to be unpleasant for characters who remain in captivity. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

II. The Cavalry (21st, Very Early Morning) The City Guard is closer than the Rathmores think. Thanks to Mirrorbound investigative help, not always strictly legal but still appreciated nonetheless, they've all followed the clues back and determined a possible address. By the evening of the 20th, several members of the Guard and Witches from the Coven, along with any Mirrorbound who followed the trail, are camped out at a manse nearby, the home of a wealthy widow eager to see her nasty neighbors knocked down a peg. Without solid evidence, the Guard can't get a warrant cleared to search the property owned by a Mr. Barclay, assistant to Thomas Rathmore, but solid evidence comes as soon as eight Mirrorbound manage to fight their way out of captivity, returning to friends and Bonded. They are the last piece of the puzzle, and now legal action can be taken. Theodore Rosethorne, leading a small group from the Coven, sends out a magical message to just the Mirrorbound - they've been found. Anyone who wishes to help bring their missing fellows home, anyone who can help with much-needed healing, or anyone who wishes to bring their captors to justice needs to show up now, because time is of the essence. The Guard can't mobilize more men quickly enough in the middle of the night to be useful and they need all the hands they can get, without a floor plan of the mansion or solid ideas of the captors' numbers. They can barely wait an hour for more hands to arrive before it begins. a. The Rescue Sowilo, Theodore's Bonded Fae and a skilled hand at illusions (and seeing through such), leads the rescue efforts, along with some of Theodore's Witches from the Coven. With information from the escapees, they plan to go through the back, take the servants' exit, and make their way down to the basement levels, while Theodore's assault team will go through the front doors, making as much noise as possible. Sowilo's illusions will keep their presence masked at least until they get into the house. The aim is to get through as quietly as possible, find the cellblock, and secure a safe route to take the prisoners out without them getting hurt any worse than they are. It's easier said than done. Magical and mechanical traps of various types litter both basement floors, and heavy illusion work has been placed to obscure the way. Splitting into smaller groups to disarm the traps and deal with the illusions will be necessary, as the entire group will make its way down to the cellblock as quickly as possible. Sowilo hopes they face little to no resistance, with Theodore's group doing their job, but a few, Rathmores and otherwise, are bound to try and stop them; in that case, they will have to fight. "Make sure you can argue a case for self-defense, if you have to hurt them," Sowilo will tell the rescuers and later the freed prisoners on the way out, wings fluttering agitatedly. "Let them be arrested and publicly humiliated in court - ruin their whole family line for generations to come." He's not happy about it either, and will overlook some of the captors getting a taste of what they deserve, but deaths are not permitted on his or the Witches' watch: anyone who takes things too far will find that the person they're attacking has simply vanished - a convincing illusion - before they're handily knocked out with a spell. They face less resistance than the assault team, but less is not none; a few of the Rathmores are determined to salvage their efforts, and some of their unwitting aristocratic cronies have sided with them. Once they reach the cellblock, dismantling the enchantments that keep the prisoners restrained and addled is the first order of business for some. Others can start unlocking cells and helping people out of their restraints. Protection for the escapees on their way out will also be necessary, as well as medical attention back at the temporary base camp. The main focus has to be on those lost friends and loved ones, bringing them back out to freedom and making sure they're tended to - not on revenge. b. The Assault Theodore Rosethorne, along with some members of the City Guard and some Witches from the Coven, leads the assault. While the rescue team goes around the back, they plan to go through the front door, as loudly and conspicuously as possible. The mansion is large and needs to be swept from top to bottom for perpetrators and evidence that can be used in court. Those joining up with this team are warned that it needs to remain legal - the Mirrorbound and the refugees, all of them, have a very shaky, uncertain legal status within the city, and a mass murder could severely harm what good will they have from the locals as well as their status here. After all, many are still neutral to positive on the Mirrorbound, but that could change in an instant. The Coven will take as much responsibility as they can, but they cannot accept the blame for a senseless slaughter. Splitting into smaller groups will be necessary in order to cover more ground quickly. The aim is to locate, subdue, and arrest as many of the culprits inside as they can. The Guard provides magic-suppressing cuffs, and the Coven a basic knock-out spell, but since many will not go so willingly, some degree of force may be unavoidable. If there's one thing the rich fear, it's a legal black mark on their family name and reputation - the Rathmores will fight back harder than their underlings, but they're also the ones they need alive to face the justice system. Those outside the family, those who only knew about the kidnapping portion, are a mixed bag - some might fight back, siding with the Rathmores, but some might give themselves up once the realization of what happened in that basement sinks in. Once they make their entrance, things move quickly. Several wealthy aristocrats either flee or fight, but their attention is thankfully pulled away from the basement and toward the upper levels. There are dozens of rooms to search, and many are cluttered with an old hoarding family's antiques, furniture piled against doors and windows blocking access to some areas, hundreds of nooks and crannies among the sheer amount of stuff provide cover for culprits to hide in. It's going to be work to ferret them all out and bring them in. Worse still, the Rathmores have collected dozens of cursed or enchanted objects that may be used as weapons against the forces of justice. Some degree of force is expected, but still if anyone tries to take things too far, they might find themselves slapped into cuffs or knocked out with a spell themselves. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

III. The After (21st On) Activity continues all through the night and late into the morning at the former Rathmore estate. All the Rathmores and a couple dozen other wealthy aristocrats are brought out in cuffs over the course of several hours, while all the prisoners are liberated to receive medical attention and reunite with their loved ones. The Guard take statements from everyone who will give one - what they witnessed, what happened to them, what they know - and all who were affected are told they will be invited to testify at trial. A gathering crowd forms at the end of the street, wealthy neighbors aghast at the horrors they're learning had occurred right in their District. Most are disgusted with the once-prominent family. On the steps of the Parliament building, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother, all sitting members of Parliament themselves, are publicly arrested in front of colleagues and on-lookers early in the morning. Constance Rathmore is taken out of the Coven roughly in magic-suppressing cuffs, surrounded by a small group of furious Witches, students of the Coven who spent the week trying to find the missing Mirrorbound and refugees with Divination. They escort her to the prison themselves. All who are arrested are transported to holding cells of their own within the City Guard - all except those requiring urgent medical attention, who will remain cuffed to their hospital beds until trial. Nessie and Mhairi make an appearance at one point to give the Mirrorbound their sincerest apologies for what happened, and Mhairi delivers the news that they're pushing for an expedited trial in Parliament, in order to keep Thomas Rathmore from bribing any contacts. They, along with Theodore and Sowilo, and the Guard, are all open and forthright with what will happen next: public trial and a certain conviction, followed by sentencing. They don't expect that the Rathmores will get away lightly; what they did is too public and too horrific for even the anti-Mirrorbound wealthy to stomach. Those others who were involved, who weren't aware of what was going on behind that metal door, they'll still face justice themselves, no doubt. In the meanwhile, those kept hostage will need all the help they can get to reach something resembling normal again. Hug your loved ones, nourish your Bonds with each other, and begin trying to heal together.

Welcome to Part Two of January's event log, Snatched! An aftermath summary of the trial and sentencing will go up on Feb. 4, the day after the City Tracker deadline, so get your submissions in if you have them! More politically-oriented characters may find an opening in the near future to enact change within Parliament and provide their own representation within the city...

And as a general reminder, please make sure to use content warnings where necessary in your headers!

Comments

Berserker (Cú Chulainn Alter) | kidnapped

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ 1. I've made myself so sick (Infirmary) ]

[ Berserker was given one of the few private rooms to recover in. His injuries were severe enough he had to be sedated before being brought to the Coven. He was also sedated for several days as the witches did their work. There were limits to their abilities and it would take several more days, if not longer for him to fully recover.

It's only been a few days since everything happened, but he looks miles better. The black eye has faded to a sickly yellow-green color, his shoulder and thigh (injuries from the Dorchacht Wilde) have been tightly bandaged and are no longer infected, anywhere his scales were removed are also bandaged. His wings look more like actual wings, though there is lighter-colored scar tissue on the membranes where they were torn apart.

He sits shirtless on his bed, sitting up for the first time that day. At some point, he was bathed; the length of his hair is loose and draped over his shoulders instead of being pulled back into a ponytail.

When the door opens, he slowly turns to look at his visitor. ]

...Who told you I was in here? Or are you lost?

[ 2. Wildcard ]

[ Got an idea? Did we plot something out? Drop me a starter or PM me here or on discord glitzkrieg#0673 and let's make it happen! ]

2 bc i dont follow anyones laws

[escardos]

[ You’re Flat Escardos? The boy they say can handle a wide range of magecraft, regardless of Mana or Od, and even without knowledge?

the voice had come from a tall, young man. his hair was excessively long, his frown excessively deep, making him look far older than he was. from a single glance, flat could tell that this man was weak in terms of magecraft, much more than all his previous teachers.

from behind that man, he saw a young boy his age stick his head out, lip curled in a snarl.

Professor! Professor! He smells all messed up! Can I break him?

Give it a rest, Svin. He’s an invited guest. For now, at least.

he spoke earnestly, in a way that flat had never seen before in his short life. his previous professors had given him false smiles and false promises, only to oust him when he became too much. this man, however, only stared onwards, his scowl deepening as he stared at them.

Why are you doing that with your face? Are you testing me, or mocking me? Otherwise, if
that’s your way of getting on in the world, you’d better rethink it quick.

“what,” flat heard himself say, tilting his head.

I’m telling you that children shouldn’t use magecraft to force smiles.

!!

flat took a step back, eyes as wide as plates as the professor saw right through him. even though he had gone through all the measures to isolate any detectable form of magecraft, he had been caught. how!? could it be, that this person was like him?

What is it? the man asks. Do you have a question?

“yes”, flat says, softly, testing the waters. “how did you know?”

he listens to the man’s explanation, about how his muscles were moving all out of order, therefore making it simple to spot. he criticized flat’s methods and how they would not last long if they kept it up. it was nothing like the world that flat saw.

and yet, it was different enough to not disappoint him. and, for the first time in a long time, he lets go of the spell, and gives his first, true smile. “i’m called flat! i look forward to attending your lectures, professor!”

the professor sighs, but does not turn him down. in turn, this seems to anger the young, snarling boy further, who’s practically barking. flat is absolutely thrilled by being the target of such straightforward animosity, and adds fuel to the flame by giving the boy a nickname. le Chien.

See?! He talks nonsense, but he doesn’t smell like he’s lying! He smells totally broken! Dangerous! Destroy him before he destroys the school!

flat continues bothering him until the professor threatens to kick them both, and it’s only then when the two of them scatter—flat sits in a corner on the farthest row, but still able to see his new professor approach the podium without trouble.

Department of Modern Magecraft, Third-Year Instructor Waver Velvet... was my name until a short while ago.

Now, I’m the Second. I’m borrowing the name Lord El-Melloi II.

in the present time, flat’s continues sleeping, sitting on a chair and with his head resting on the side of the bed that cu was on. it seems that his body had finally reached its limit after being awake for various days. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker has slept heavily for a few days. He'd barely slept when he was kidnapped, unable to sleep due to a combination of pain, forcibly being kept awake, and trying to protect those he was stuck in a cell with. The exhaustion caught up with him...that and the drugs he was given. Sedated sleep meant his dreams were kept at bay and not inflicted on his Bonded.

That didn't go both ways, apparently. It's not a startling or horrific dream, at least. It is revealing, however. He doesn't recognize anyone but Flat (not immediately, anyway)...So it must be his dream. It always feels rather voyeuristic to see someone else's dream. This one...isn't unpleasant. It's not one he should be party to, however. This must be the school he's a part of. And that's...Waver? Really? That isn't how he'd imagined him to be. So jaded at that age already...

The revealing part isn't Waver's older appearance, it's more Flat's nature. The way the snarling boy calls him on not being quite right, the way Waver sees right through his fake smile. It says a lot about the young man he's Bonded to. The genuine smile, though...Is it that he feels accepted for the first time? Berserker can't say. This is explains the odd emotions he senses from Flat through their Bond, ones that aren't quite right and feel off.

...The nickname he gives to the other boy doesn't surprise him. Flat tried to give him a nickname he didn't want, too. So he wasn't special in that respect -- not that it bothered him, of course. A recognizable pattern of behavior.

Berserker wants to wake up so he's not a part of Flat's dream any longer. It doesn't feel right that he's seen this peek into his life. It's unfair. The dragon stirs and finally awakes. This is the first time he's been truly awake since being brought to the Coven. It takes a moment for his eyes to focus and he sees...Flat. He doesn't want to wake the witch, but the bed shifts beneath him as he pushes himself up to sit. ]

...That was your dream, wasn't it?

[ It takes some effort to speak and it feels strange for him to do so. He doesn't expect Flat to answer, either. ]

[escardos]

Nnn...

[ flat stirs when cu moves, the bed creaking and shifting underneath the dragon’s weight. his body obviously still tired, so he can’t help but grumble in protest of waking up for a moment before lifting his head from his arms.

he blinks a couple times, his gaze settling on the injured dragon. ]

You’re alive!! [ flat grins, his voice suddenly full of both energy and relief. ] I’m so glad...part of me thought it’d be like in the movies, where they end up falling into a coma for twenty years and their loved ones would suffer daily, hoping every day for it to be the day that they wake up.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ He suddenly feels like he shouldn't have moved -- not because of Flat's inevitable weird comment, but because of how tired he looks. He doesn't know how long he's been out nor how long the witch has been waiting by his bedside. The dumb comment gets a brief grimace before he rubs his face with one hand. He's sore from his injuries and from being in bed for so long. Berserker takes a moment to stretch, but not very far because he's so bandaged. It hurts and he kind of regrets stretching.

He looks over to Flat with an unreadable expression. ]

...So it was your dream. [ He drops his hand back to his side and leans back again. His wings are in considerably better condition so it's not painful to rest against them again. ] That was Waver's class you were a part of, wasn't it?

[escardos]

...Yep, it sure was.

[ flat’s smile seems to settle into something more gentle when cu mentions the dream. he watches the dragon shift on the bed, and he thinks about how much better he looks now that he’s not tattered and bleeding on the floor of a torture cell.

he laughs softly. ]

That was... ten years ago, give or take. Lots of things have happened since then, you know? The Professor has many more wrinkles than he did back then, for example!

[curruid_coinchenn]

I'm sure a lot of those wrinkles are because of you.

[ Berserker doesn't want to pry into the dream any further, but he can't deny his curiosity. They are Bonded and this was likely to happen because of the strength of their Bond. This was a better outcome than Flat getting one of his dreams, at least...If he'd been dreaming lately, it was of the horrors he'd just faced, so fresh and raw in his mind. Or one of his regular dreams of bloody battlefields and killing without emotion. ]

...Who was that feral boy? The one you called Le Chien?

[escardos]

Ahaha...you’re not wrong.

[ flat shrinks back a little, laughing nervously—that’s a pretty harsh, but accurate, callout. even flat is aware of all the trouble that he has caused his professor for the sake of helping him or mere curiosity gone wrong.

still, he does brighten up when asked about the so called “le chien.” ]

That’s Svin! Svin Glascheit. He’s the first friend that I ever made. And his specialty is Beast Magecraft, so isn’t it fitting to call him Le Chien? He hates it so much. [ flat snickers ] He graduated a few years back, but still visits the classroom every once in a while. We were pretty much rescued from the Professor, so he holds the same amount of loyalty towards him as I do.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Look, if anyone's going to give someone premature wrinkles, it's bound to be Flat. He's bound to cause Berserker some of them, at this rate...

Nevermind. He leaves that alone for now. It still feels...strange to ask about Flat's past this way when it wasn't freely given to him. Well, what's been shown has been shown. ]

You miss him, too, don't you? You miss all of them, I'm sure.

dw about replying its for flavour ig???

[ua_duibhne]

[Throughout Berserker's stay, it's rare for Diarmuid to stray much further than the grounds of the Coven. In the time since Berserker's disappearance and rescue, he's become something of a shadow; always nearby in some form, always there in case he's needed. It's a comforting routine, really; if the nurses somehow managed to drag him away and send him home the night before, he'll arrive first thing to exchange fresh flowers for news of Berserker's condition. Keep up his calm smile for Flat- a permanent fixture in the ward, he quickly realises- and see if either of them need anything. Occasionally, he even brings Mac-an-Coill along.

Most of the time, though, the staff don't even try and separate them. Diarmuid is happy to spend his nights draped across the end of his bed in a half-sleep. Those critical first days, watching them work on his shattered, sedated body, had been almost as difficult as when he was missing but it still hurts to see him sometimes. Deep down, he still half expects to wake up one morning and find the bed empty; it would just just like him to slip away in the dark, whether metaphorically through some unexpected complication or, more likely and literally, his own choice. The physical wounds, brutal as they are to look upon, will heal. The ugliest, most affecting scars lie deeper than the eye can see. What he wants is a moment of privacy with just the two of them to talk and yet even that, he knows, would barely scratch the surface.

All he can do is stay at his side- but while loyalty comes naturally to him, it's a more profound kind of devotion that keeps him awake well into the early hours.]

flavor for flavor

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ The witches started letting him stay because Berserker's condition seemed to improve with his presence. He didn't regain consciousness, but he responded better to treatment and would stir a little when Diarmuid got closer. There was no sense in chasing away someone that clearly had an effect on his recovery. Whether it was the strength of their Bond or something else, it didn't matter. Berserker was in such bad shape that the ones treating him would take anything they could get to ease their work.

In his sedated state, unaware of the outside world, he would reach for Diarmuid when he was by his bedside. A part of him could feel his presence and wanted his comfort. He'd suffered unimaginable cruelty, both physical and mental. Robbed of his humanity and treated as nothing more than an object again, it would take much time for any of it to heal. He was denied any sort of comfort in his captivity and found himself craving it more than ever, even in his unconscious state.

There would be time to talk about what happened later. That talk would likely be preceded by him withdrawing and leaving the city proper for some time. The safety he'd been sure of was a lie and he no longer wanted to be there. He didn't want to cause any harm to his beloved Bonded, of course, but there was no way he could stay.

Diarmuid's loyalty and devotion will not go unrewarded; it will just take time. ]

1

[scatmaam]

[ Scathach leaned against the doorway, tapping the side of her nose, and then pointing at the bracelet let on the table beside him, the same she'd given him for the holidays... ]

Don't tell me you thought that was purely sentimental? I chose those scents for a reason...

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Truth be told, he hadn't taken much notice of what of his had been left in the room. Berserker looks to the bracelet and furrows his brow for a moment. Of course, Scáthach doesn't do anything without a good reason for it. Scents to mark those she cares for... ]

You're adapting to your senses well, master. [ His expression darkens for a moment as he looks down at himself. ] ...Is this the first time you've come?

[ Read: Did you see how bad I was? ]

[scatmaam]

In the interest of preserving your dignity, no. [ Scathach finally pulled away from the entrance of the room, stepping over to rest Gae Bolg against the wall, and to set herself in the visiting chair, elbows on her knees and leaning forward, letting her hair fall over her shoulders. ]

But I did miss you out there... fighting to find you instead of fighting with you feels a bit hollow.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Better that she didn't see him in the sorry state he'd arrived in. His body had been so broken that it gave out on him as he was carried out. He didn't remember much from there, mostly because he'd been unconscious for most of the time since then.

It doesn't feel good to be reminded of his inability to protect himself. She obviously can't know what's going through his mind and making his chest ache and stomach twist. Berserker's jaw clenches as he looks away from her. ]

... If I'd been able to fight, I would have. Diarmuid...had to carry me out. I couldn't even walk.

[ He sounds disgusted with himself. His voice trembles as he speaks, betraying his neutral expression. ]

[scatmaam]

[ She doesn't no the specifics, but her intuition was never dull. ]

And I imagine that hurts a lot worse than any enemy's wound... I don't doubt I'd feel just as poor in that situation.

[ Scathach let out a long sigh, leaning back. ]

We warriors sort of build our entire identity around our ability to fight, to protect. And just as you find something worth being strong for, a cruel fate robs you of that strength...

[ She shifted forward again, closer to his bed, a hand resting gently over one of his hands, before giving a firm grip. ]

But I know... that strength is still there. No force of this world or any other, man or god, could take it from you.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ He hates how perceptive she is. Even without the wisdom of Dun Scaith, her perception is perfectly on target. What hurt him the most about being kidnapped and tortured was the fact he wasn't strong enough to protect himself in the first place. He should never have been captured at all. Strength was all that mattered to him and it was taken away just like that.

Berserker can't meet her eyes and stares down at her hand on top of his. It hurts so badly, like a knife twisting in his chest. Apathy would be preferable to how intensely he feels these emotions; it's safe, it's comfortable, but he can't return to it no matter how he tries. He grits his teeth as he blinks away tears. It's a futile effort and a few still fall onto Scáthach's hand. He doesn't understand why he cries and why he can't stop it; it's happened so much lately that he's given up trying to control it. ]

...I couldn't do anything to protect myself. I couldn't do anything to protect those I care about. [ That hurt worse for some reason. ] They used me for whatever purpose they saw fit...I was a fool to think I anything had changed.

[ He expects her to chastise him for his words, but they are what he's feeling and it's only fair that she knows. The admission makes him curl in on himself just a bit more; he's absolutely ashamed of his weakness, especially in the face of the one who helped make him as strong as he is. ]

[scatmaam]

[ Scathach gently squeezed his hand, and didn't mind at all the tears. The tears, whether he was willing to admit it or not, were a sign of something... ]

Ciarán... Something has changed. That person you were before, the person the Grail meant to create, would have no tears to shed over this...

[loadme]

It wasn't all that difficult to find out.

[She closed the door behind her, and made her way into the room proper. He seemed to be on the mend, at least. And knowing him, well...]

I'm glad you're alright.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ The physical wounds will heal faster than the ones that aren't visible. Both kinds of scars will fade with time, but the emotional ones are harder to let close. They're too fresh to ever be close to scabbing over and it doesn't help he keeps picking at them with painful thoughts, unable to leave them alone.

Berserker lowers his head, staring down at his hands. He fidgets with the bandage on one wrist; the glittering scales that used to be there were ripped out. ]

... I will heal in time. Everyone else will, too. [ His hands clench into fists for a moment. ] Be grateful you were spared.

[loadme]

Maybe, but the people I cared about were still taken away. I couldn't really do anything. I just felt helpless and angry.

And honestly? I'm still pretty upset at the ones responsible for this.

I hope they get what's coming to them.

[More specifically, she hoped that they would die.]

[curruid_coinchenn]

They took so much from everyone...

[ There was a lot of helpless feelings on both sides. He knows both of his Bondmates were upset that they couldn't do anything but wait, not knowing if he was even alive or dead. Berserker sits silence for a few moments as picks at the open emotional wound. Driving a knife into and twisting, unable to leave well enough alone. ]

...I'm only angry that I can't kill them myself. I would slit their throats and let them bleed out at my feet for what they did to me and those I care about.

[loadme]

[She remained quiet for some time after hearing those.

Knowing who this was, Monika wasn't surprised at all to hear what he was saying. A few more moments of silence, however, and she finally spoke up again.]

If you ask me, it's exactly what they deserve.

And worse.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ He's not terribly surprised by Monika's admission. It's not as though it's difficult to get a person whose loved ones have been harmed to want justice, even such violent justice. ]

They deserve the cruelty they inflicted on us and more...If they aren't executed, there are plenty who will do what should be done.

[loadme]

I'm glad I can talk like this when I'm around you. If I kept it to myself then I think I might not be handling it as well.

[Talking about it was healthy, at least.]

Did they say if you're going to make a full recovery?