August 26, 1177
The fire's dying flicker left the hearth a gloomy grey that was never unwelcome in the late summer heat, but nonetheless Severin prodded the last spark with a stare. The flames shot right back to their former glory as lightning struck the front of his brain.
"A little warm in here, don't you think?" The wardrobe door shut and Nora's slippered footfalls rang artfully out-of-time with the sparking of the fire. On a better night, he might have made some teasing comment about taking off her nightgown if she was so hot, but he just didn't feel up to it. He didn't feel up to much of anything.
"A little warm in here, don't you think?" The wardrobe door shut and Nora's slippered footfalls rang artfully out-of-time with the sparking of the fire. On a better night, he might have made some teasing comment about taking off her nightgown if she was so hot, but he just didn't feel up to it. He didn't feel up to much of anything.
And yet--for all he'd rather be doing pretty much anything else--he just kept playing with the goddamn fire. "Sorry."
"I thought you said it gave you headaches."
"It does." He drummed his toe against the floorboard, if only to assure himself of his own mobility. "I don't know. Just looking for answers, I suppose."
Nora sat down beside him and craned her neck toward the ceiling. "I take it you haven't found any."
"You take it right."
She edged a little nearer. All these months later and it was still a relief to wake beside her. Most people would have left a freak of nature. Maybe when the logs were gone, his next batch of kindling would comprise of everyone who was still giving him hell about having married beneath him. In truth it was she who could have done much better. "Severin?"
"I thought you said it gave you headaches."
"It does." He drummed his toe against the floorboard, if only to assure himself of his own mobility. "I don't know. Just looking for answers, I suppose."
Nora sat down beside him and craned her neck toward the ceiling. "I take it you haven't found any."
"You take it right."
She edged a little nearer. All these months later and it was still a relief to wake beside her. Most people would have left a freak of nature. Maybe when the logs were gone, his next batch of kindling would comprise of everyone who was still giving him hell about having married beneath him. In truth it was she who could have done much better. "Severin?"
"Mmm?"
"Did you ever do something like that before you found out about your mother?" The skirt of Nora's nightgown rustled as she crossed her legs. "Not this specifically, but something you couldn't explain?"
Severin closed his eyes. Nora wouldn't have taken his silence as a 'no', but she didn't press. For all she must have been curious, there was solace to be found in her understanding.
"How did Lucien's check-up go?"
"Well enough." At least they'd reach the point where he didn't need Vera to share his whisperings--even if he did still seem to prefer it. "My mother thinks he's regained most of his strength. Strength of body, at least. Not much she can do for his spirits." He fanned the flames with a summoned gust and sighed. That poor boy hadn't asked for this any more than his mother had. Any more than he had. "Do you think Remiel's out there torturing some other child?"
"Did you ever do something like that before you found out about your mother?" The skirt of Nora's nightgown rustled as she crossed her legs. "Not this specifically, but something you couldn't explain?"
Severin closed his eyes. Nora wouldn't have taken his silence as a 'no', but she didn't press. For all she must have been curious, there was solace to be found in her understanding.
"How did Lucien's check-up go?"
"Well enough." At least they'd reach the point where he didn't need Vera to share his whisperings--even if he did still seem to prefer it. "My mother thinks he's regained most of his strength. Strength of body, at least. Not much she can do for his spirits." He fanned the flames with a summoned gust and sighed. That poor boy hadn't asked for this any more than his mother had. Any more than he had. "Do you think Remiel's out there torturing some other child?"
Nora didn't respond right away. Given the question, he might have been unnerved if she had. "They're... supposed to be rare, aren't they? He didn't have anyone between your mother and Lucien."
"Maybe he got lucky." Luck. As if that was a word for a twisted man who'd found some poor placeless youth off whom he could leech. "Son of a bitch. If he ever comes back, I swear to God I'll kill him." She might have expected him to say something like that. He wondered if she knew just how well he meant it.
"Maybe he got lucky." Luck. As if that was a word for a twisted man who'd found some poor placeless youth off whom he could leech. "Son of a bitch. If he ever comes back, I swear to God I'll kill him." She might have expected him to say something like that. He wondered if she knew just how well he meant it.
Maybe she did. "A couple months back I would've asked how you planned on getting around the touching thing, but..."
She trailed off as the fire gave another burst. "Exactly."
NEXT CHAPTER:
She trailed off as the fire gave another burst. "Exactly."
NEXT CHAPTER:
5 comments:
There's a chance that I might have to skip Friday's update on account of a school assignment. I'm hoping it won't interfere, but it might.
Hey, school has to come first -- we'll still be here when you're done with your homework. :)
And I think we have a thickening plot here! So Severin really does know how to play with fire. Interesting. I wonder if any of the other kids might have inherited his gift? Or his grandkids? Or other gifts, like Vera's ... or not like Vera's.
Remiel had better stay away from open flames and Severin -- unless he has a few nasty tricks of his own up his sleeve. Which he probably has.
Luckily, I did manage to get a decent start on it :)
Who knows exactly what and how much is being past along in this bloodline. There could very well be a few surprises long after this arc is over.
Remiel probably does have a few tricks. Luckily, the last time we saw him, he was in a bit of a panic. It doesn't take much to get him to start thinking a bit erratically.
I cannot imagine Severin doing anything but killing Remiel. But this is a moment when he shared what Nora felt, and what he could give back. And he gave her exactly what he should.
The next time those paths cross is not going to be pretty :S
Severin and Nora are very attuned to each other. It's not the same earth-shattering passion he had with Alina, but they're on the same page most of the time.
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