Whatever lies ahead. Tiberius quirked a brow at that open ended sentiment, weighing it carefully. Trying to decide if it had its roots in optimism or in ignorance – or if it was some form of calculated defiance instead. Either the first or the last, judging by her smile. That, at least, was better than yesterday’s gray monotone.
Her question caught him off guard, although it probably shouldn’t have. It was merely good manners, after all. Lyric would have been trained on deportment and conversation. Up until her family discarded her.
So had he. The situation called for an affirmative with no further detail, than an equally anemic question about her own well being. But they’d be stuck in this rolling box together for days to come. Tiberius leaned back into the velvet cushions and considered. His natural feelings were always difficult to pin down, flashes of lightning through Despair’s indifferent fog.
“Excited is a good word for it. And yet, six years is a very long time to be away from home.” He tilted his head, one hand resting on his throat while the other tapped restlessly on his knee.
“I don’t know what I’ve missed— And that worries me.” He wrinkled his nose. Admitting weakness of any kind always felt like a deadly mistake, no matter that anyone with eyes could see he was full of the things. Lyric deserved the truth, though. She was walking into the same dangers as him but with much less foreknowledge.
“At the absolute worst, my House may have fallen.” It had been helmed by a ninety-nine year old man. While Grandfather was always larger than life (and slightly terrifying) in Tiberius’ memory, one had to consider that he was merely mortal. Even stolen vitality eventually failed. “I’d have nothing to offer and you, my dear, would be stuck in a hostile land.
“At best, they wave us through the border and nothing has changed at all.”[/color] He rolled one shoulder, a lazy shrug. “Reality will probably land somewhere in between. I was not entirely without allies when I left.”
Tiberius stopped the carriage as they waited for Val Royeaux’s gates to groan open. He nudged her shoe with the toe of his boot, eyes half-lidded and lips curved into a teasing smile.
“And you, Lyric? Are you excited to marry a rude Tevene heretic?”He had not thought so yesterday.
Her question caught him off guard, although it probably shouldn’t have. It was merely good manners, after all. Lyric would have been trained on deportment and conversation. Up until her family discarded her.
So had he. The situation called for an affirmative with no further detail, than an equally anemic question about her own well being. But they’d be stuck in this rolling box together for days to come. Tiberius leaned back into the velvet cushions and considered. His natural feelings were always difficult to pin down, flashes of lightning through Despair’s indifferent fog.
“Excited is a good word for it. And yet, six years is a very long time to be away from home.” He tilted his head, one hand resting on his throat while the other tapped restlessly on his knee.
“I don’t know what I’ve missed— And that worries me.” He wrinkled his nose. Admitting weakness of any kind always felt like a deadly mistake, no matter that anyone with eyes could see he was full of the things. Lyric deserved the truth, though. She was walking into the same dangers as him but with much less foreknowledge.
“At the absolute worst, my House may have fallen.” It had been helmed by a ninety-nine year old man. While Grandfather was always larger than life (and slightly terrifying) in Tiberius’ memory, one had to consider that he was merely mortal. Even stolen vitality eventually failed. “I’d have nothing to offer and you, my dear, would be stuck in a hostile land.
“At best, they wave us through the border and nothing has changed at all.”[/color] He rolled one shoulder, a lazy shrug. “Reality will probably land somewhere in between. I was not entirely without allies when I left.”
Tiberius stopped the carriage as they waited for Val Royeaux’s gates to groan open. He nudged her shoe with the toe of his boot, eyes half-lidded and lips curved into a teasing smile.
“And you, Lyric? Are you excited to marry a rude Tevene heretic?”He had not thought so yesterday.
04-16-2024, 06:29 PM
