notyetlegend | → IC CONTACT FOR eachdraidh

[Merida stands at the same time, reaching out to take hold of her arm as the puppies take that as a cue to bound out the door.]

Take it easy, m'lady. You just woke up. It'll be a bit disorientin' for a while.

I'm all right, Merida.

[But it's obvious she's not. Or, at least, trying to not think about certain things.]

...Princess Merida of DunBroch.

Now's not th' time to be a smart ass.

[Even as she says that, she does it fondly, chidingly.]

I did give my word I would do that...

[Her tone is very gentle, though.]

I know you did.

[Her hand is placed on Grainne's arm, a small smile curling as she tilts her head in a way that makes her hair part at the sides near her ears.]

Just take it easy for th' day, okay? Th' Station will be fine, it hasn't headed there yet. Then you an' I will head there.

[Giving a sigh, Grainne sits back down, but not on the bed.]

What has happened so far? Why would there be another Jabberwock, after such destruction last time? Is there any news coming from the front lines?

I only know what's been on th' Unseelie side of th' network.

[Merida's reply is a bit blunt as she decides to take the edge of the bed instead.]

We have an idea of how to bring th' Jabberwock back to what remains of Scima, we just have no idea how to get around it's aura of rot. As far as I know, th' Seelie attacked, a team tore Scima down to its foundations an' released th' Jabberwock. I saw a blonde man at th' center before he switched his locket off - or I'm assumin' to Seelie only. [She gives a small sigh.] I've asked Lord El-Melloi to keep me updated on Diarmuid an' Cu, but so far only Diarmuid has made contact.

[Grainne looks down at her locket, resting on the small chain she keeps it on.]

Could you not use mine? It may have been easier to contact Lord El-melloi and the Hound, being a Seelie locket.

[Earlier, she had gotten away with not acknowledging Diarmuid's name before, save for that flinch, but now it is too obvious. The younger girl is sure to notice, and she steels herself for questions.]

I would not have minded, though it may not be a good idea to be seen in the Seelie messages right now.

I thought about it, but I might have lost control of my anger like I did yesterday if I had. Everyone's stickin' to Seelie an' Unseelie lines.

[A decent flush crosses Merida's cheeks at the memory and she ducks her head. She definitely notices, and her lips purse into a thin line as she wonders if Grainne would be up for questions.]

...How long was it? Back home?

Then all the more fools are they in this mad land to never question.

[Grainne had never sounded bitter before in front of Merida... or, at least, that bitter.]

Those ones would rush to whatever drums were beating just to show that they were warriors regardless of the cost. [A small noise of disgust makes its way through Grainne's noise.]

It has been two years since I saw you last, Merida. At least for the time that has passed in my world.

I tried to warn them last month, m'lady. Sadly there are fools who would just as much not listen to reason than there are those who would heed th' call of th' drums of war.

[She does note the bitterness in Grainne's voice, a little surprised, though she does smile a bit even as she ignores the churning in her gut at the idea of what she might have experienced.]

Th' same as me then. At least we're not three hundred years late. [with Starbucks]

Three hundred years... [A small worried frown appears, and Grainne bites her lip.]

The faeries would do something like that. I hope nobody would have to deal with such a thing... a few is more than enough.

There was a man who came into DunBroch claimin' he'd been down a faerie mound, once.

[Merida chuckles a little at the memory, before reaching to squeeze Grainne's hand.]

You...experienced it, didn't you, m'lady? What we discussed over th' lockets last time you called me?

[That sadness is back. The look she can't quite shake, no matter how carefully she's practiced the neutral blank expression.]

He is gone. I know that now.

He's alive here.

[Merida draws herself closer, sliding off the bed to kneel down next to her friend.]

That has to count for somethin', right?

[Her expression hardly changes at all.]

What good does that do our shattered family?

[A small frown furrows across her forehead, reaching to tuck some curls behind her ear.]

I don't know, but wouldn't talkin' to him help?

He kept so much from me...

[Probably to spare her pain, but things she should have known to keep him safe. Things she could have changed.]

I am not ready to talk to him.

I'm not rushin' you to. You'll have plenty of time to think it over.

[They had no idea when the war was going to end after all. She squeezed Grainne's hand.]

We can switch topics if you want.

It is all right. But...

[Grainne lowers her head slightly at the comforting squeeze.]

I have begun to question everything I ever believed true. And how will I tell him I am about to betray him?

I think he's the type of person who will forgive you, no matter what happens.

[Merida reaches to tilt her chin up with her free hand. If what Rin told her about Diarmuid's world was true, then it was possible he already knew the outcome of his tale from his wife's point of view. She doesn't say his name, mostly to save Grainne from wincing like she did earlier.]

You didn't give into Fionn to start with. You don't have to worry.

But I am not the type to forgive so easily! [Her expression darkens, and the first hint of true anger comes through.] I tried! And I could say nothing, nothing when he went because it was his responsibility and his right and he chose it over his family! Just as he has b-been choosing... this... war over- over us.

[She freezes then, her fists curled into balls at her sides, and bursts into tears.]

[Merida's arms reached out, wrapping Grainne into a hug and tucking her chin over her head the minute she started crying. It was an automatic reaction, one that she found herself pursing her lips together for before biting her bottom one and closing her eyes. She had a feeling anything she was going to say in defence of Diarmuid would be shot down by Grainne, so she just held her, sitting there.]

[Perhaps once Grainne calms down and stops feeling the effects of so many memories rushing back to clarity, she might regret her words. But they came from a well deep part of her soul, one she hadn't wanted to admit existed before. She should know better. She was (or is?) a knight's wife. She should accept it as part of the life he led.

She has made plenty of mistakes, and in her own mind she is at fault for his death, for her actions in the beginning and lack of them at the end.]

M... Merida...

It's hard isn't it? All th' memories? Conflictin' around in there?

[Her voice comes out in a murmur, pressing her cheek to Grainne's as she rubbed at her back. It had been easier for her since she hadn't gone through anything like what Grainne had, but it still hurt, still made her cringe every time she thought back on the last two years. She'd hold onto her as long as she wanted, letting her exhaustion leave her as Merida sighed, shoulders relaxing.]

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