devoutish | IC contact for wethelost

[ It's not even a surprise at this point. He hums soft, and soaks in the sun as he naps, tangled up. Like he usually does when he sleeps like this, he barely dreams, just rests, quiet and easy. It makes it easier to prepare for later, for the worst of his memories.

He'll sleep for a few hours, until the sun starts to tilt down in the sky, the Meadous sleepily making its way to evening. When he does wake up, it's slow and easy. ]

[Alfie, for his part, is still mostly conked out. The only part of him that's moving is his fingers, which are splayed out on Royce's arm. Slowly, they curl and uncurl, lightly gripping his sleeve and then letting go.]

[ He sighs, slow, and then nudges Alfie. ]

Hey. Wake up. [ He murmurs, resting his hand on top of Alfie's. ]

[And Alfie, as always, is going to be hard to wake up. He grumbles, burying down deeper into the blankets.]

Alfie. [ Royce says, fondly exasperated. Gentle shake. ] Should've known better than to let you sleep.

Yeah.

[Half-awake or not, he knows you're right, Royce.]

Are you ready?

[ Royce takes Alfie's hand, squeezing it. ]

Ready.

[ He has the leaf in his pocket, ready to go. He's also nervous - which he lets Alfie feel, quiet and hesitant, creeping up his spine. ]

[Alfie wiggles his arms free and wraps them around Royce, sending reassurance and comfort back.]

Okay.

[ He offers Alfie the leaf, curled into Alfie's side, and then - they go.

Langdon Bridge is actually really pretty. The full moon is bright where it can be seen through the clouds, and the gleam of it makes the Bernum River seem to almost shine. The water of the river practically roars underneath them, a stark contrast to the rest of the district - it's late, and merchants have long left the area for the day, going home to their families, out of the cold and snow that gently settles down over the stone pathway.

Royce and Alfie stand quietly at the edge of the bridge. Behind them, Modina and Saldur stand, wrists tied behind their backs, silent. Royce's fists clench, and from under the darkness of his hood, he orders, hoarse and tense: ]

You need to hide. Merrick can't see you.

[ Saldur looks confused from Modina to Alfie to Royce, as if any of them are going to give him answers. Modina, on the other hand, stands quietly. ]

[Alfie doesn't even spare the other two a glance - this isn't a time for sightseeing or meet-and-greets. Putting a steadying hand on Royce's arm, he says:]

Tell me what I should be looking for.

[That'll help him decide where he should squirrel himself away.]

[ He glances up at the moon - notes the position, knows how much time he has left. He feels sick, like being on the boat all over again. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe he shouldn't have done this to himself. But - but he needs to know. He needs to see it again. And... strangely, he wants Alfie to have seen it too. So he doesn't have to carry it alone.

Deep breath. ]

Arcadius. Skinny old man. He'll - he'll be hiding close by. Over there. [ Royce points in the direction he knows the bolt will come from. His hand shakes. ] I know I can't - I can't ask you this, but I'm going to anyway.

[ Snow starts to fall gently from the sky above. ] I want you to see when it happens. I don't want to be the only one who has this memory. And - but if you can't, that's okay. Like I said. I can't ask you.

I will.

[He says firmly, not letting go of Royce's arm.]

I will see it. Now, about Arcadius - what do you want me to look for, specifically?

Just - look to see if he's the one who shoots her. [ Royce whispers, pulling his cloak close. ] He'll have a crossbow. I just - I don't know if he'll even be there. I don't know.

[Alfie plants a hand on each of Royce's shoulders, facing him fully and looking him in the eye.]

I wish I could be up there with you, on the bridge.

I know. [ Royce says, and maybe his voice breaks a little. Another deep breath. He looks at Alfie from under his hood, eyes glinting slightly in the dark. ] I wish you could be, too. But it would change things. Merrick can't see you or this won't happen the way it did.

[ Saldur shifts uncomfortably behind them. ]

Go on, then.

[Alfie says, and he leans in to kiss Royce on the forehead, Modina and Saldur be damned.]

I'll be close.

Okay. [ He breathes out. The forehead kiss is support, is bolstering, and he takes it and holds onto it. Carefully, he turns away from Alfie, and stares across the bridge.

When Alfie's hidden, Royce steps forward. He lights a lantern, and a few moments later, a lantern on the other side lights as well. Merrick stands there, hair slicked back and expression sharp and tense, his hand on Gwen's back. Gwen, in a heavy wool cloak and thick leather boots, a gag in her mouth, watches. Tears stream down her face as she watches Royce across the bridge, and his heart shatters into pieces. He's not sure he can do this. But he has to.

Saldur plays his part - he speaks up, and Royce doesn't hesitate. In fact, he's harsher this time. He digs the blade through Saldur's shoulder deeper than he did before. It won't matter. Tonight, Saldur dies.

Send them across. Merrick orders, and Royce gestures for his captives to move forward. ]

[It doesn't take Alfie long to find a good hiding spot - he gets himself behind a big tree with a thick trunk, with a good view of both the bridge and the area Royce had indicated that Arcadius would be lurking in. He knows he's going to have to stay very, very still; behind a tree isn't a fool-proof hiding place, and Arcadius - not to mention Merrick - will likely be on the lookout for anything amiss.

Quietly, he waits, watching the scene unfold.]

[ Alfie will see when Arcadius sets up, quiet, in dark robes that conceal him in the darkness. He's watching, just like Alfie. But they're both human, and they can't see Alfie from the darkness. He's hidden, for now. And he can hear Royce speak, clearly and coldly. ]

You had better match her for pace, Saldur. [ Royce threatens. ] I'm very good with a dagger. You move faster than she does, and you'll be dead in an instant.

[ He remembers this. Doesn't remember all the right words, the exact things he said, but he runs through the same thoughts he'd had the first time. He remembers thinking he could finally have a home. That he could take Gwen and leave, go to Avempartha, never come out again. He'd grow old with her. The wagon was ready, he was ready - he'd been set, it wasn't going to be his problem anymore. He was going to spend the rest of his life with her, and he doesn't know how he ever thought the world would let that happen.

She breaks into a run, and he sprints, like he can get there faster, like he can outrun the crossbow bolt. But he can't. Alfie will see Arcadius hitch the bolt, aim, and fire true.

It hits her, square in the back. Goes straight through her, through her front. A spray of blood coats Royce, his face, his cloak, his hands, stretched out to catch her as she falls, and he knows it's going to happen, he remembers but it doesn't make the anguish hit him any less.

Royce screams. ]

[None of this is actually happening now, Alfie knows. It's just a memory, it's in the past, and nothing he says or does now can affect it. But all the same, he has to fight to stop himself from running over to Arcadius and snatching that crossbow away from him. From beating him over the head with it. From shooting him through with his own weapon.

His breath catches when the bolt hits home, and when Royce screams, he finds he can't breath at all. But he stays where he is, because what else can he do? He can be there for Royce later. But right now, with this, he knows Royce has to do it alone.]

[ He brings her down easy, cutting her bindings. She's still tied up, she still had the gag in her mouth and he shot her, how could he, Royce doesn't udnerstand how someone could do something like this. She never needed to be in the middle of this. It's his fault. It's all his fault.

Alfie won't hear most of their conversation, as short as it is. He'll see Royce wipe the blood from her mouth, pulling her into his arms, supporting her head up as she looks at him, gaze fuzzy. ]

Shh - shh, it'll be alright. I'll take care of you. [ Royce's voice trembles over the quiet of the city. Gwen chokes - chokes on her own blood as it trickles down the side of her mouth and Royce wipes it away again, stubbornly. She whispers something to him, and he shakes his head. ]

No. No, don't leave me. Please. I love you. [ His voice breaks, just loud enough to be heard. She coughs, and Royce kisses her forehead, rocking her gently. He's lost - he's forgotten it's not happening, that it's a memory, tucking her hair behind her ear, making sure the blood doesn't soak into it. He can't remember anything, he just knows this is his fault, he did this. Merrick did this. Someone has to pay for this.

She whispers again, voice inaudible from far away, and then - she says, louder, I can't see you, Royce. It's dark, I can't see in the dark like you can, I'm scared --

And then. Silence. There's just Royce whispering to her, forehead pressed to hers as she struggles to breathe, until she can't. Until she doesn't. Until she lets out one last awful, gurgling breath, and goes still.

Across the way from Alfie, Arcadius slips under the bridge, quiet as he can, waiting for his opportunity to get away. ]

[They hadn't talked about what to do, after, and Alfie isn't sure what Royce wants or expects of him - should he wait? Should he go up to him on the bridge, despite Merrick's presence?

He spots some shifting movement in his peripheral vision, and drops his gaze back down to ground level. There's Arcadius, sneaking away after a job done, and suddenly something just clicks. Decision made, Alfie strides across the grass, headed straight for him.]

[ Royce loses whatever sense of lucidity that he'd had. He's immersed in the memory, and while he knows it was Arcadius, somewhere, it doesn't matter. He's going to kill Merrick. Merrick has to die. Carefully, Royce stands up, covering Gwen with the cloak, and then walks across the bridge, towards the building Merrick is scrambling through.

Under the bridge, Arcadius fumbles with the crossbow, lips pressed into a thin line. He never wanted to do this, but he had to. So much relies on this. The world cannot end just because of one man's happiness - he hates that that's the truth, the heart of the matter. But the deed is done. And hopefully, Royce will never know.

But then - there's a man, making his way to him, and Arcadius startles, staring. He's too surprised to do anything but watch, and then, sort of weakly: ]

Ah - hello. How can I... [ Help you dies on his tongue, because Alfie's expression actually unnerves him. He stumbles back. ]

[Alfie doesn't bother with a response - not even the sort of caustic, sarcastic Good evening he might have thrown at another gangster at home. Arcadius doesn't deserve banter. He continues charging at him, not breaking his stride until he's close enough to sling a rough arm around the old man's thin body, grab the crossbow from him, and jam a bolt into his throat.]

[ Arcadius barely puts up a fight - he doesn't have the time to. Alfie grabs him and Arcadius yelps, trying to squirm away, but he doesn't call for help, just starts trying to murmur something - up until Alfie forces a bolt into his throat.

Arcadius stiffens, and then gurgles - and then spasms, slowly choking to death in Alfie's grasp. ]

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