IC contact for wethelost

[devoutish]

Solomons & Melborn
1108 Sweet Cream Street

[Feel free to use this space for letter/package deliveries as well as visits/knocks on the front door!]

Comments

[bywolves]

[ You menaces. He makes a huffy sound when she kisses his cheek, though this time it's more for show than anything. He'll play along, if only to hear Emily laugh. ]

Are the two of you done? [ He asks, ruffling Emily's hair. ] We're going to have to teach him how to use the sword in there, Emily.

[devoutish]

Now, is this a sword or a knife?

[He pops open the top, drawing out whatever's inside.]

[empireofrats]

[Quickly and suddenly, she gives Royce a look, as if she is second guessing herself and doesn't know exactly what to call it. They may say different things.] A sword!

[That sounds better anyway.

It's honestly in between. Too long to be a mere knife, too short to be a legitimate sword. Just right for needing a sharp, pointy stick to get someone with in tight situations, and the end extends down enough to make a good handle.]

[bywolves]

Both. [ Royce says, with a shrug. That works as an explanation, right? Right. ] It won't take much. All you do, you see, is use the sharp bit to stab whatever is bothering you.

[devoutish]

[Alfie rumbles approvingly, testing the blade's sharpness by pressing his finger to the tip hard enough to indent the skin but not hard enough to draw blood.]

Fucking magnificent. You said there's books on it.

[He examines the etched designs along the length of the cane more carefully.]

[empireofrats]

[Emily is excited by Alfie's excitement, even if subdued. She backs up with Royce to give Alfie room to turn the cane and blade over and over.] Royce could teach you. He knows how to use it.

And me, too. [Because don't leave her out of sword fighting, hello.] It looks very strong. I'm glad. It looks just like a cane, but then when you pull the sword out, it looks like a real sword.

I was going to get you one like Corvo's. Piero helped make his fold so it was small. But I wanted you to have a new cane, too.

Maybe I'll get Corvo's later.

[bywolves]

I'll teach both of you. [ Royce says, with a bit of a smile. ]

There are books on your symbols, I meant. The cane I've seen in use before, there wasn't any need to research that. Either way, like I said, it was Emily's idea to begin with. [ A beat, and Royce strokes at Emily's hair a little. ] She deserves the credit for it.

[devoutish]

You both deserve credit.

[He unsheathes the blade completely, finally, and tests out the weight of it.]

What do you think - lessons tomorrow, then?

[empireofrats]

Yes! [slams excite button] Yes--please, Royce? We can practice a little tomorrow, right? [She reaches up to tug a little at his clothes.] Pretty please?

So if any monsters come out of the snow, we can fight them.

[bywolves]

[ A beat. Royce crouches down to be mostly at level with Emily. ]

They won't come out of the snow, here. Good to be cautious, but I don't want you to worry about that. [ Royce tells her gently, taking her hands. ] But yes. We will practice tomorrow. All three of us.

[devoutish]

Mmmm.

[Alfie hums, affirming.]

Yeah. Here we'll just use our knives to impress people. Make them very jealous about the skills that they've got.

[empireofrats]

[She offers a small smile, squeezing her fingers around Royce's hands.] Okay. [She'll get better at not worrying when they don't show themselves like before.]

Tomorrow then. Royce will show us how to use a sword. I'm excited.

[bywolves]

We can make a day out of it. [ Royce says, glancing at Alfie. ] All of us make pancakes and then head to the lake to practice.

[ You know, like a weird family. ]

[devoutish]

We'll have to find a spot where the snow's not too deep.

[empireofrats]

But there's snow everywhere. Except if the lake is frozen. But if we practice on the lake, we'll slide around and fall down.

[bywolves]

[ He forgot that there was snow outside, for a moment. That was nice for how long it lasted. A beat, as Royce shifts almost uncomfortably. ]

Maybe not the lake, then.

[devoutish]

Indoors, maybe. In one of the bigger buildings, when it's empty. Could move the couches out of the way in the rec center.

[empireofrats]

Will Zephyr be angry if we practice how to use swords in one of the buildings?

[bywolves]

No, I doubt they'll be angry. [ He pauses. ] Might even invite them along.

[devoutish]

Sword-fighting with a god.

[Alfie shakes his head disbelievingly even as he grins.]

How did we get to this?