A Cruel Twist of Fate [closed]

[wickedchase]

WHO: Twisted Fate, Nerva, Korrin, Zevran, Beleth, Cyril, Ruby, Sera, Katniss, and special sending crystal guest star, Sina!
WHAT: A companion quest and elven relations all wrapped up in one.
WHEN: Post-Illness plot. The band of merry travelers will be gone from Clouch 23 to Clouchreach 28.
WHERE: Traveling to and from the Serpentine River.
NOTES: The plotting post.

Comments

[keeperofmagi]

[Nerva said nothing for a long moment, watching her silently. Finally, however, she deemed it time to speak.]

I will not allow any harm to come to you, Beleth. Seeker Pentaghast made your worth - all the elves worth - very clear to me, and I would fight to the death, to protect you. That is my duty.

[arlathvhen]

[ Beleth turns from her fidgeting to glance at Nerva, clearly startled by this declaration. A bitter voice at the back of her mind whispers that Seeker Pentaghast is one to talk about elven worth, after what she pulled with Galadriel and Gavin, and that she ought not need to make their worth clear to Nerva in the first place, because they are people and of course they have worth.

But she lets it go. It's not worth the fuss when someone is telling you that they'd die for you. ]

I--

Thank you, Ser Nerva. That...brings me some comfort. I will pray that such a situation will never come to pass, but--Thank you, even so.

[ Pause. ]

As I said before, I trust that the Clan is wise enough to know the consequences of bringing harm upon any of us, but I swear that I will all within my power to make sure that it stays that way, and no one...forgets their wisdom.

[keeperofmagi]

... Regardless of origin, people of capable of bringing great harm. There are no innocents, here. But I - hope that you can sway them, to remember that it is the demons that are all our enemies, not each other.

[She did not mention that she knew these particular elves. That she knew just how much harm they would be willing to inflict upon her. That they already had inflicted.

Her part of the story here was not the important one.]

[arlathvhen]

[ She looks back down, fingers going back to her scarf. This is why she goes through so many of them, really. Nervous fidgeting wears holes right through them. And she wants to tell Nerva that the humans are the culprits, that they are the enemy. That Nerva doesn't understand, she couldn't possibly. But she restrains herself. ]

Twisted Fate doesn't really like me that much, so--You can trust that I have the skills necessary, since he had me come along anyway. I fully intend on helping resolve this diplomatically, and it's the only option for the Dalish.

[keeperofmagi]

[Nerva raised an eyebrow.]

Doesn't like you? [That wasn't the impression she'd gotten. They'd been bickering, sure, but the way siblings might, the way she and her brother had once done. But maybe she misread the situation.]

But I trust that Fate would bring those that he knew would improve the situation. [.... For the most part.]

[arlathvhen]

He had I have different opinions on various subjects. But we both know what is important, and we can put aside our differences when it comes to that. Fate knew that I would do anything that I could to help another clan.

[ She falls silent for a short time, letting that sink in. She wants to make sure that Nerva is aware of the priorities here. Then, she continues: ]

And he knows that I am well versed in negotiating, particularly with my own people.

[ She shrugs. ]

And I owe him, anyway.

[keeperofmagi]

If he brought you here, he trusts you.

[She says it with almost a warning solemnity. As if to say, 'He trusts you, don't prove him wrong'.]

As long as your idea of negotiating isn't spying on them like a squirrel, then I will also trust you.

[It is said utterly deadpan and with an incredibly serious expression, but it... could have been a joke? Maybe?]

[arlathvhen]

[ She stares at Nerva for a moment, squinting as she tries to figure out if she's being joked with or threatened. Beleth is fairly sure that Nerva is the only person that she's met where such a line was blurred, and after a moment, decides that she's amused by that. ]

I only act like a squirrel when I'm spying on particularly special events and people.

[ She shoots Nerva a small smile. It's--She's not sure what it is. A compliment? A horribly doomed attempt to flirt?? Mocking??? Who knew. Not her. ]

[keeperofmagi]

[Nerva looks up, her expression hard, but then the very barest edge of her lip twitches with amusement.]

Then I will decide to be flattered. Though it's probably not a good idea to continue, in any case.