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And REVENGE >:D In Which There Are Cannibals
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Tairais
Tairais 
@Amuulzhaan 2 years ago
At this hour of the night, it was entirely too late for most things, and entirely too early for the rest of those things. Everything should have been sleeping, or if not that, then quietly awaiting the new approach of dawn. Logically speaking, the world should have been softened by the gentle blanket of the stars above.
Richard was in the Society's kitchen, and was rather decidedly being neither soft, nor gentle. Indeed, he was balanced on the line between pointed politeness and cold fury like he once balanced on pointe shoes.
“I have told you no, Charricthran. The less they have to do in my life anymore, the better. You are most certainly welcome to chase after them on your own, but do not use me as your instrument in this.”
All things considered, Charricthran was rather calm; Irritation clung to the back of his skin like the hungry bite of a thunderstorm, but it was tempered by a promise to himself not to cause the kid any more grief. It was his arrangements that caused the whole mess in the first place, after all. The least he could do was help the kid untangle himself.
That being said, Richard's rejection had still stung like a needle in his neck, making his words grin just a little too far on the wrong side of sharp and sweet.
“Fine, kiddo. I don’t blame ya. Jus’ figured you’d wanna take your due in retu-”
Richard cut him off by spinning on his heel to face Charricthran with a knife and a snarl. (Eheh, cut him off-)
“Gods help me, Charricthran-Kothar. I have told you a thousand times this night--the answer is a firm, vehement no.”
Richard paused, then took a small, heavy breath, unwilling to show just how strained his lungs still were.
“Ask Lewis, perhaps. The two of you seem to be a decent sort of friendly,” He added with a smile about as friendly as a glacier. No sooner was he done speaking than regret stuck to the corners of his eyes, and a flicker of guilt and grief twisted and gently sank their fangs into his heart, tugging slightly.
Charricthran watched him with concern and slowly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. This wasn't getting him anywhere.
“Easy, kiddo. All’s well. No need ta cast a kitten on me." He smiled a gentle sort of expression infamous for smoothing things over as he changed the subject. "Want help with cookin’, or would ya rather I just beat it elsewhere?”
Richard sighed heavily, his frigid smile turned to something warmly fond and exasperated, but relieved.
“You are welcome to help me if you like, I suppose. Are you going to want to eat any of it, or…?”
“Nah, y'know me- Eatin’s a joke a fair ninety-nine percent o’ the time.”
“Very well. Do you remember the time I taught you how to make bread?”
“Y'mean the time you started ta teach me, then ended up initiatin’ the ‘War of Flour’ , as we ended up callin’ it later?”
A sharp, melodious laugh. The chime of glass and crystal against a marble floor.
“Yes, that would be the one. Do you remember how to knead it?”
“Should do. Want me ta?”
“If you would be so kind as to, yes, I would.”
“Sure thing…. ‘S good ta see ya eatin’ proper again, even if it’s at stupid o’clock in the mornin’.”
Richard paused at great length before frowning. “I was unaware it had gotten dark outside.”
“Draftin’ the plans for that project o’ yours?”
“Yes, why?”
Charricthran hummed, then spoke with a somewhat singsong tone. “I daresay that’s your reason, kiddo.”
There was another pause before the two of them started laughing quietly, deep, throaty caws interspersed with musical chiming so similar to a laugh Charricthran’d though he’d left behind universes ago. They trailed off into companionable silence, nothing but the faint sounds of food cooking and the ghosts of scent in the air.
Though content, Charricthran still didn’t have the next move for his chessboard.
He was fast running out of time to think of one.
His mind wandered to the note he’d left as a courtesy call for Hannibal and Will. The two of them knew this time was likely to come, despite the fact that the actual mathematical probability of it had been quite low until recent events. There were always unexpected variables in lives such as theirs. Artemis had almost been unexpected, plans changed accordingly, all for the hope of..
What, really? He still didn’t know why Will had persuaded Hannibal to follow through with this particular plan of theirs. His disdain for Richard hadn’t really been a secret, nor had either of them shown a callous disregard for their own lives. Their previous agreement had long since been fulfilled, so why?
He supposed he’d just have to wait and see.
“Need me ta fetch anythin’ for these clockworks of yours?”
“Well, now that you have been so kind as to mention it…”
He and Richard quickly fell back into a familiar conversational rhythm, the tide of conversation flowing and receding with gentle, near-familial ease. Jokes and allusions made, jests and jibes wielded like blunted rapiers, friendly mockery of the other’s cooking.
The both of them had grins on their faces that solved many, but not all of their problems.
Dawn stole colored bruises into the Society as Charricthran left Richard to his peaceful breakfast. That left Charricthran free to wander to the the main room without a care in the world. Hands casually shoved into his pockets, he walked to the towering front doors with a smirk.
He waited until he could hear the faint stirrings of the building coming to life before he bellowed an ultimatum at a volume that was all but impossibly loud.
"Right, you lot! If any o' ye feel like avengin' Artemis, now's your one an' only bleedin' chance!
Hoof it down to the main hall!"
That done, all he had to do was lean against the doors and wait, arms crossed, still smirking.
(( Hey so uh. Remember how ages ago actual Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham killed Arty and left a bunch of people emotional wrecks? Yeah. Char's leading a revenge mission for uh, Reasons.
There will in fact be murder and mystery solving, so everyone's welcome to join in! No experience required!... probably. ))
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Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
Lewis had been awakened early by a raven tapping at one of the windows of his flat. The bird had delivered a message from Charricthran, so Weir had left for the Society earlier than usual.
"I daresay you'll have several takers on that offer," Lewis opined as he crossed the main hall to stand before Charricthran.
"Including me."
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Charricthran shot Lewis a grateful grin.
"Here's hopin' tha's true- gonna need a fair few hands ta tango with this mess."
And a mess it was, to put it lightly.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago
"What needs to be done?" asked Weir.
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"Buncha things!" Charricthran ticked them off on his fingers as he rattled away.
"Firstly, gotta get a journal belongin' ta a guy that was keepin' tabs on Richard until shite went all over the place. I have a general idea o' where the two o' em are headed, but if anyone has proper details or a step in the right direction, it's him. Fortunately, I hid the body, so all should be good.
"Beyond that, gotta pay a visit to a.. friend an', ah, persuade 'em ta dismantle the security system they threw over the two o' em. Nothin' more solid'n that without the location, though, so those first. Backup's in case it all goes tits up, which it prob'ly will.
"Not ta mention, I can't fraggin' stab 'em on my own cos o' the sigil an' the Contract I was forced inta, so the actual dirty work's gonna have to fall to someone else. Rest assured, I'm gonna do everythin' I can 'sides that."
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
"If there are no witnesses," whispered Lewis, "I would dearly love to do some 'dirty work'. I imagine Elias will as well.
"I can probably help with some of those things," he said at a more normal volume.
"What type of being might this 'friend' be? The more information, the better."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"I heard friend and dirty work," piped an oddly cheerful voice as it rounded the hall from... seemingly nowhere, if its signatures was anything to go by. "Sign me up already!"
In strode Huxley, smiling as brilliantly as ever.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Charricthran's smile turned sly at Lewis's whispers, then pleasantly intrigued at Huxley's arrival.
His first impression was something along the lines of having a room full of sharks to contend with. Given the man's expression, perhaps that was somewhat close to the truth.
"Hard ta sign anyone up for anythin' withoutta name. Somethin' I can call ya by, kid? 'M all for the help, otherwise!"
"An' its one o' the Fae folk I've tangoed with in the past. Decent sort- probably one o' the only such in the Courts. Problem is, he's a titch too decent, which makes it hard ta trick him inta goin' back on his word. Still, I've ways ta talk ta him an' other such.. stuff, so shouldn't be too terribly difficult."
He huffed a heavy sigh and chuckled ruefully.
"The most difficult part about this is gonna be fightin' the two o' em. Can take maybe one or two more people with me ta wherever this shite's gonna go down, but anymore'n that's gonna draw their eye too early. Not ta mention, they're right strong buggers but.."
He shrugged nonchalantly, smile returning to full brightness.
"Even strong buggers can die."
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chatterghosts  Tairais • 2 years ago
The smile on Huxley’s face sharpened a little in amusement, with trace amounts of something rather snide beneath. “It’s Huxley.”
(He didn’t bother addressing the ‘kid’ bit — he knew he most definitely wasn’t one, and he was sure Lewis did too.)
He stuffed his hands back into his pockets as he approached the pair.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
"Pleasure ta meetcha, Huxley! Be even more o' a pleasure once we get on our way, 'm sure."
Charricthran hummed distractedly, thoughts and plans flitting like butterflies and feathers against his eyes.
Still so many loose ends and strings to be cut. Still so much mess to clean.
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Jekyll1886  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis gave a wave of acknowledgment when Huxley appeared.
Given that the last time he'd seen him was before Artemis's death, Weir wondered if his arrival meant anyone else was about to die--anyone aside from Will and Hannibal, that was.
I didn't get there in time, thought Lewis in regard to Arty. Not that there was much to be done about it, thanks to Torke's abominable timing, but...
The mental equivalent of a sigh.
Ah well.
"Are the strong buggers flammable?" he asked Charricthran with the hint of a feline smile.
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago
"'Course! Nothin' worth killin' isn't! 'Cept certain kindsa dragon, maybe. Not flammable, but damn fun ta fight."
Charricthran chuckled before stretching his arms before him, mimicking the sound of cracking knuckles.
"Right, much as I'd love ta spend all day chattin', unless someone else shows up soon, I'm itchin' ta get moving before windows I dunno about start closin'. Any objections?"
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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago
“Wait!”
Helen was at the top of the stairs, her expression drawn and anxious as she rushed down to the three.
“I have an objection! Make that several, actually.”
She turned to Lewis.
“You’re leaving, on a plot for vengeance?”
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago
Internally, Lewis winced.
This is why I kept my voice down, he reflected.
Too bad no one else did...
"Not so much vengeance as closure, but...would you rather I stay?" he returned, his expression softening.
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Tairais  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Charricthran watched the exchange with an inscrutable sort of expression, though his posture was guarded, ready to react to whatever happened.
What did he expect?
He didn't have a clue, if he was quite honest. It just felt like to sort of situation to be wary towards.
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Helen Jekyll  Tairais • 2 years ago • edited
"Well, obviously yes," answered Helen, holding his gaze, "But I don't know if... I can't just... make you stay."
She fiddled with her hands, searching for the right words.
"I don't want you to be hurt... and I'm afraid of what'll happen if I'm left alone..."
Her head dipped as she sighed, resting her arms against her back.
"But I don't want to hold you back, if you're needed, and if this is what you want..."
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Jekyll1886  Helen Jekyll • 2 years ago • edited
Lewis deliberated a moment.
"I think..." he said, meeting her gaze, "they may just be able to manage without me.
"If nothing else," he added with a half-shrug, "I could be of aid in a research capacity, if that's called for. I could stay by your side and contribute toward the goal."
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chatterghosts  Jekyll1886 • 2 years ago • edited
Huxley glanced toward Charricthran with an amused sort-of-smile, clearing his throat and tilting his head to indicate the floor above them. “I’ll go get Elias while you guys, uh, hash this out.”
He disappeared just then, dissolving from the place he stood in a flash of red and white, fading like starlight.
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Tairais  chatterghosts • 2 years ago
Charricthran felt the play of magic dance through the air and smirked before turning to Lewis.
"Research's all fine by me- Know plenty 'bout killing vampires, seein' as I spent plenty o' time as one, an' as a hunter o' em. Wendigos are.. a titch out o' my realm o' experience. Pretty sure that's what the other o' em are anyways. Cannae think o' somethin' else."
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