The Eternally Creepy and Unnaturally Quiet Mansion, Thursday Evening

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana had been mute for the better part of a week now and she was not enjoying the experience. She wouldn't be even if she didn't have an important conversation in the offing; Liliana silenced, not the other way around. But having to continue to push back that conversation was maddening and she felt her resolve to actually have that conversation drop little by little every day.

Which, she assumed, was the point of it.

But just as Liliana didn't enjoy being mute, she also didn't enjoy being manipulated. Again, that was a thing she did, not a thing done to her. So that evening, while ensconced in her beloved bathtub, she decided that the only way to resolve this particular issue was aggressive confrontation. Fortunately, she excelled at that.

Listen to me, you pack of disembodied blowhards, she thought at the hubbub of whispers that were never silent in her head anymore, I have had enough. It's bad enough that you lot are in my head, but I absolutely refuse to allow you to affect the rest of me. Let me speak or I will drop the Chain Veil down a well and you can mutter to yourselves for the rest of eternity.

And then Liliana heard a sound that chilled her, causing her to break into goosebumps, even though the water around her was hot enough to redden skin. The voices of the Onakke spirits trapped in the Veil were laughing at her.

*Vessel of destruction...* all the voices whispered that, but it sounded like one voice was more prominent than the others, *...it is not our doing that binds your tongue. For the key to that riddle, Vessel, look to your greatest enemy.*

The voices in the Chain Veil had never spoken to her directly before. She was subject to their ceaseless yammering, of course, but that was more like being trapped in a room with a group of people carrying on a conversation about her, not with her. Occasionally they would be cowed into silence when she was particularly provoked, but that was the extent of their interaction.

Had it been the threat? The fact that she had spoken to them first and not simply to command they shut up? Something else?

Who are you? she demanded. How do you know that?

Only the usual whispers answered her, their nonsense words bouncing around her skull. *...nourished at the root...the harbinger...*

Ugh. Fine. That was another knot for her to untangle another day. Far more pressing was the possibility that this was the work of an enemy. Shocking no one, Liliana didn't lack for enemies. She made them far more easily than friends. So which enemy? Nichol Bolas? Tezzeret? Baltrice? Sorin Markov? Avacyn? Had Jace shown his true colors at last?

But no. Because the voice hadn't said an enemy, but her greatest one. And that left only--

Raven Man

Now aware of her quarry, Liliana ruthlessly examined herself, searching for the magic that was affecting her. It was a long hunt, because she was full of restless seething mana, but Liliana could be quite patient and focused when she chose to be.

And she found it. A thin thread of mana around her throat, so tiny she might have missed it entirely had she not been searching. With a silent snarl, she verified that it wasn't connected to any greater magics and then tore it apart.

Immediately she began coughing again, great wracking spasms that started off quiet and then crescendoed into loud barks that echoed through the bathing chamber. And at the end of the fit, she coughed something up from deep in her chest.

A small, glossy black feather, that floated on the surface of the water for a heartbeat or two before dissolving into nothingness.

[For the paramour, please, and a conversation long-delayed.]

Comments

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

"Yes," Liliana agreed, as her steward placed the tray on a table near to Ignis, and bowed himself out. Liliana watched him go with glittering purple eyes, but when she spoke next, it was simply to ask Ignis to prepare her a cup of tea.

He could likely feel her regard on him, but she seemed to be weighing something. Waiting for something?

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

Though he was...incredibly reluctant to leave precisely where he was in that moment, Ignis did shift and pull away at the request, reminding himself that, yes, actually, it would be good to have something to do right now that involved something physical and tangible and not just his head spinning at an alarming rate with all sorts of thoughts in danger of colliding into each other. So he turned himself and his attention toward where he'd heard the steward [lacing the tray, took a moment to feel around for the place of everything before setting to fixing her tea. Precisely as he usually did, exactly as she liked it.

And, of course, he'd smelled the coffee as well, and he'd tend to his own cup after handing Liliana her cup, leaning in to deliver it with a soft gentle kiss.

Because, of course, he'd also sensed that expectant energy from her as well. And, with the concern for not getting it right tightening the muscles in his shoulders, he figured it would be best to just focus on what he did know.

Even the part of him that wanted to object to having coffee at this hour was quieted by the reminder that he might need it, should it turn into a long night of frustratingly dealing with portalocity gnomes.

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

"Thank you," Liliana said and took her cup. She closed her eyes at the kiss, letting out the softest breath as if something tight in her chest had loosened, and took a long sip of her tea, also considering what next.

She was tempted to bring up the Raven Man, at least in conjunction with her muteness, but then she would have to explain who he was and their long...association, and likely even his connection with Josu's death and she just...couldn't. Not tonight. And she wasn't sure how much more Ignis was prepared to handle tonight.

Not that he wouldn't try, of course. But she had too much that was precious to her and she feared it breaking under so much pressure.

Like the Raven Man.

Like Tavelia.

"Zib for your thoughts?"

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

His coffee being much less fussy than the preparation of Liliana's tea, in that all he really needed to do was pour it, it wasn't long before Ignis was settling back in, albeit with a new position, his shoulders resting on the headboard of the bed. There was a small moment, where both his hands curled around the mug and he breathed in deep.

Right now, I will be sated with the aroma of coffee, that I may at least distinguish myself from a sheep and live one more day, or die, with the aroma of coffee all around me.

And after a slow, careful sip, he shifted the mug to one hand so that he could shift again, opening up his side with the perfect amount of space for Liliana to fit into, if she so chose, and let out a soft huff of a sound at her inquiry.

"Oh," he said, "no. You'll need at least a zino for those, 'Iana."

But, contrary to this claim, he sipped his coffee again and continued.

"But," he said, "I'm...worried. Well, obviously, when aren't I worried, and there is certainly quite a lot to be worried about here. I am....however...grateful, that you've told me, and hopeful, that we have a source and a direction, to find out more. I'd...." He filled his hesitation with an another sip. "....like you to be more cautious, though. Until we have more information."

He'd rather like her to continue being cautious well after that, as well, but bargaining was oftentimes just choosing your battles and knowing where to gain what small victories you can.

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

And there was a Liliana, tucking herself up against his side, holding her cup of tea in both hands. "You would rather I didn't use the Chain Veil again," she summarized, though she didn't sound peevish about it, only quiet.

She did sigh. "If it's any consolation, I truly doubt that either fighting one of my demons or breaking down the walls of heaven are going to come up much. But. Yes. I can agree that it would be best if I...take care."

Another pause. And then, very very softly, "I may just return it to where I found it, honestly. It seems a great deal fuss altogether."

Even that softness didn't hide the anguish in her tone and it wasn't just from the clamor the Chain Veil kicked up in her brain about it. The wince for that was, however, and the hand she lifted to her temple.

"I will not trade four masters for a million."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

"Oh, thank goodness." Though, really, the sigh of relief that worked its way out of Ignis at that was far too sincere to give the tone of his words a convincing lightness. "I was not relishing the idea of having to eventually point out the problems with the math on that one."

But he quieted again as he took another sip of his coffee with one hand, pulled Liliana closer with his other.

"But, yes," he said, with an inhale of breath to make his words that much more resolute, "leave it, abandon it, destroy it. Whatever it takes..."

Another unspoken option filtered through his head, but he deemed it as wholly unworthy of consideration at this time.

"...we'll rid you of its influence. And the longer you have it, the tighter its grip will likely become..."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

That's right you weren't even thinking about it, Scientia.

"That still leaves me owned by two others," she pointed out, still quiet, still anguished. "And no way to defeat them."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

Indeed. Of course not. Perish the thought...

To that thought, however, Ignis did actually click his tongue in a faint, chiding sort of tsk.

"Now, that isn't true at all," he said. "We just having figured out the best strategy yet. We have, admittedly, been a bit....distracted, as well. But when the time is right, and we regain our focus, and the way forward is set before us, we'll take that path with determination and settle those debts, once and for all. Just as we did with Griselbrand."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

"With Griselbrand, we had the Veil," Liliana reminded. "The sheer amount of power it took...And he was the second weakest of the four of them. Demons are pure manifestations of magic, Ignis. They can't be shot or stabbed or even blown up. Avacyn had the full belief and faith of an entire plane behind her was, at best, able to fight Griselbrand to a standstill."

This was only a setback, obviously. Liliana excelled at getting her own way more than anything else. But right now, it was incredibly difficult seeing how

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

"Perhaps, then," Ignis ventured, after another long, quiet moment, "that just means we'll have to get more creative. Where there's a will, there's a way, and I assure you, Liliana, my will in this is ironclad."

To the point where, yes, he sighed almost with resignation with his next swallow of coffee. "And if that means," he said, very carefully, and with a sudden dull pain gathering behind his eyes that he wasn't entirely sure wasn't just psychosomatic, "that the Chain Veil truly is our best tool...then so be it. But not until we've learned everything we possibly can about it, up to and including a sort of...failsafe. To know where the point of no return may be so that we do not cross it."

Or, the little throb behind his eyes seemed to be saying to him, or....or...

He winced a little, shaking his head slightly before continuing. "And not," he added, "until we've exhausted all other possible options.

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

Absolutely not, Ignis Stupeo Scientia. You had your one tragically loyal sacrifice. You didn't get two. There was a rule and the bros would back her up on this.

A moment later, a cool hand was on his brow, a thumb rubbing his temple. "Do you think we'll get much more out of this?" she asked. "Is there more you think we can discern from what we have?"

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

Oh, and now, all of a sudden, Liliana Vess concerned herself with following rules, did she?

Ignis ducked his head into that cool touch, with a sigh of gratitude for it. Not that it really seemed to be doing much for the sudden strain there, but it was doing enough.

"We can't possibly know," he said, "until we try. Perhaps this truly is all there is out there to glean about the Chain Veil, but we'll at least know that much for sure. And who know what other doors we might open in our search? There's got to be something out there, 'Iana; it's just a matter of finding it. And if not..."

He shifted a moment again, pulling and turning away so he could set down his mug, and then reached for Liliana's hand to wrap with his own. "We'll just have to do the best we can with what's available to us."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana had never minded holding people to different standards than she held herself to. People were often better people than she had any desire to be.

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his temple, her hand falling to his face a moment. "I meant tonight," she said. "Whether you wished to generate a list of further questions, or have me read relevant passages, or..." She trailed off and he felt a finger under his chin, lifting it slightly up. "You have spoken about a lot of things," she murmured. "But not of emotions, at least beyond worry."

And that was so omnipresent it barely counted.

Re: NFB from here, please!

[chef_chocobro]

And even with just the touch her fingertips, Ignis' face followed Liliana's gravity, and he breathed out with a faint, wry smile. "Worry always has been the one I'm best at," he pointed out, before softening with a sigh. "Is there anything more to tell me? Anything else I should know? I suppose it wouldn't hurt, to go over the passages, just to have a different set of ears on it, but it feels as though the next step is clear, Liliana."

Which he knew, as he said it, was just more pragmatism, but what did she expect? Laying out a plan, a course of action, made sense to him. Emotions, on the other hand...

A hand drifted up to Liliana's hair, brushing it back as his fingertips trailed along her cheek. No. That wasn't right. The emotions made sense as well, he just didn't have the tools to manage those as well as he could facts and details and plans...

"I think," he said, "that's enough. For tonight. In the morning, I'll go speak with the gnomes about the viability of a portal to Shandalar, but if you're to read anything, I want it to be something where I can just enjoy the sound of you, without having to also think of the Chain veil or daemons or pacts or whatever else. I just want you."

Re: NFB from here, please!

[deathsmajesty]

"You have me, my darling," she murmured, a little awed at how true that was, at just how much of her he had. "And...thank you. For making this...easier, than it might otherwise have been."

Liliana was never going to be entirely comfortable with opening herself up this way and just sharing, but every time she did and it didn't go horribly wrong, it made the next time just a tiny bit easier.

Since his face was already tilted towards her anyway, she leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't the immediate fire of their kiss in her bathing chamber, it was more of a banked heat, a slight blowing on coals that were never allowed to go cold to check that they still flared.

"I can read to you, my 'Nys," she said. "I have begun reading Spenser's The Fairie Queene. It may surprise you, but I also have thoughts about faeries. I am the Left Hand of Oona, after all."