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!]

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[bywolves]

He saved me.

[ That's genuine, soft. ]

In a lot of ways, he saved me. I was going to go back to rescue him from Manzant.

[devoutish]

Do you know what happened to him?

[He's heard about Merrick, and he's heard about Hadrian - but he's heard next to nothing about Nim.]

[bywolves]

I went back, months after Arcadius bought me. He wasn't there.

[ Royce rubs at his face. ]

I thought he died, but then - Mercy and I were leaving to head to the elven capital, and... there he was. Acting as an adviser for the Empress. I didn't know what to say to him. We walked together for a while, and then he split off to head in another direction, and... I thanked him, but that was all I could manage.

[devoutish]

But he remembered you? Surely he did.

[bywolves]

Yeah. He did. He remembered me. Thankfully.

[devoutish]

Do you wish he hadn't walked away?

[bywolves]

A little. I could've used his help with the elves. He - he taught me elvish, did I tell you that? The bits I knew before here.

[devoutish]

You told me a bit. You hinted.

[He's going to try to pull Royce back down onto the bed, if he'll come.]

Think he'd approve of me more than Hadrian does?

[bywolves]

[ He does. He lays back down and curls right up with Alfie, closing his eyes. The question has him hesitating. ]

I don't know. Maybe. He was a mystery.

[devoutish]

[Alfie curls around him like a comma, resting his cheek on top of Royce's.]

Well. Maybe he'd lead the elves, eh?

[bywolves]

No. I'd trust him with my life to do it, but he wouldn't.

He'd get on me about responsibility and doing what I know is right, too.

[devoutish]

But you don't think you're making the wrong choice in staying here, do you. Wouldn't be very right for the elves to have a leader who didn't want to be there. That's just asking for trouble.

[bywolves]

[ He shrugs a little, quiet. ]

Hadrian thought this wasn't real. The Meadous isn't real. Too good to be true. That I'm pretending it is so that I don't have to do what's right.

[devoutish]

And Hadrian had been here for five fucking minutes when he said that.

[It's a worry that Alfie himself has sometimes, and he knows Royce does too - but as far as he's concerned, that's different from Hadrian coming to the conclusion he had. Hadrian was assuming. They were worrying based on experience.]

[bywolves]

[ A long pause. ]

I don't know what to do.

[devoutish]

-- My answer's gonna be biased too, mate.

[bywolves]

Yeah. I know. [ He's struggling, hiding his face. ]

[devoutish]

Rulers who don't wanna be rulers don't do well. That bit isn't biased.

[bywolves]

No, but it doesn't matter, does it? If it's between me hating what I have to do but Elan surviving, or me having a happy ending and Elan being destroyed - it doesn't matter what I want.

[devoutish]

Do you really believe that there's no one but you that could lead the elves?

[bywolves]

Hadrian seems to think there isn't. [ Royce doesn't know. There's probably a thousand people more suited, but. ]

[devoutish]

Well, it's fucking ridiculous.

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ He reaches up to hold onto Alfie's shirt, eyes closed. ] It's fucking ridiculous.

[ He's quiet and upset, and - well, showing off Manzant didn't quite have the effect he was hoping. It's off his shoulders, he thinks, but he can't get the dread and anxiety out of his chest. ]

[devoutish]

{Alfie doesn't say what's on his mind, though Royce likely knows him well enough by now to tell that there's something there. He curls himself closer, bringing his hand up to rest on the back of Royce's head, tangling his fingers in his hair.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce lets the silence sit for a while more, and then he sighs out slow. ]

What is it? [ Because yeah, he knows Alfie well enough by now. ]