Seamus and Silver Discuss A Challenge

Characters in this scene: Seamus, Silver, Glory, Echo

Editor's Note: This scene occurred partially in-person, partially in public chat, and partially in private chat. Direct messages are indicated through DMs.

"It looks like the Tiny Alliance is nearing its end," Glory said, leaning back on the couch as Silver does her work.

Silver made an unhappy noise, checking over Glory carefully; by their standards Glory had gotten off lightly, but she still wasn’t fine. Power was running Glory’s way through the bond, making sure she healed.

Silver’s phone pinged. She hesitated, hands in Glory’s hair, then retreated and checked her messages. She swore; “Bloody war mage -“ And started typing.

"I don't blame him," Glory says. "For making the choice he did."

“I can absolutely be pissed he just publicised my full name!” Silver snaps back. Anger - but anger driven by fear.

"What?" Glory says, turning her head toward her.

Silver shifts over, curling into Glory while typing busily. “Could be worse,” she mutters. “And it’s not. But fucking hell.”

"The two of you talking now?"

“Yeah. You’ll want to see this.” Silver’s tone goes flat.

**Warded Warmage:** @SilverWolf Lyra Woods. I'd like to speak with you.

Preferably, someplace more private than here.

**SilverWolf:** ... And so you decide to call me that in public to do so? Fucking...

**SilverWolf:** What are you thinking?

**Warded Warmage:** What am I thinking? That I want to be seen by the public, offering you a chance to talk.

**SilverWolf:** That wasn’t an accusation, that was ‘what kind of private talk’

**Warded Warmage:** Wouldn't want folk claiming I didn't try to discuss things with you before I?

**Warded Warmage:** I'll DM you.

**SilverWolf:** Though calling me that in public has certainly made me highly unhappy

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Well, if that's the unhappiest you are during this conversation, it'll have gone pretty well.

**SilverWolf (DM):** It seems someone told you a few things.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Your mother called.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Well. That’s not what I wanted to happen.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** She'd very much appreciate it if I were to do some kind of horrible violence to Glory and return you to her. I refused, naturally. I know how this works. Your gambit fails, it bounces back at you, she tries to use this to get me to do her dirty work?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I think I've had enough of people deciding what I'm going to do for me.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** But I've been betrayed, Ms. Woods. Three times, by people I trusted. Found out about it in the same day, even. That's not something I can let pass without damaging myself, you know?

**SilverWolf (DM):** I’m sorry. I never intended to use it to cause you pain.

**SilverWolf (DM):** What is the price?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I can't forgive everyone, Ms. Woods. Doing so would be indicating to the world that I don't avenge myself. Can't really move against Alornerk, since I've sworn oaths. I'd rather not move against you, because I suspect karma being what it is, I'd do you more harm than I'm comfortable doing. But I can't forgive all three. I assume you have some kind of preference as to how I break this pattern?

**SilverWolf (DM):** Who was the third?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Aubrey.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** You see, I've got something of a dilemma, Silver.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I would sooner suffer than she, Seamus.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** This doesn't have to be *drastic*. I need to break a pattern. She's the one who's betrayed me least. On those grounds, she's the one I'd need to avenge myself on the least, of the three options.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I ain't asking your permission, Silver. I'm giving you an opportunity to try to shape how this goes.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I'm her *Familiar*, Seamus. Quite apart from loving her, I am oathsworn to protect her and not betray her.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Please, Seamus, you understand that right?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I understand that. I also understand that Glory is, despite what she has, a damn rookie and far too generous for her own good. And I understand something of how you operate. So I think the odds that you left yourself a little wiggle room in those oaths are pretty good.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** What I take from her can be small. It can be in her best interests to lose it, even. Trying to talk me out of this is a waste of your time. We can resolve this in the way that's least bad for everyone, or we can *fail to communicate* and have this scenario get worse than it already is.

**SilverWolf (DM):** She's been Awakened longer than I have. Fucking hell. Fine. I fucking *hate this*, but fine. You say take. Challenge or theft?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Challenge. I've got something of an obligation to make this remotely fair. I win, I take her ownership of that tiny alliance, I renounce it. Nobody's in charge, Glory learns a valuable lesson about trying to assert authority and going against the interest of already willing allies, and I get to show the spirits I haven't decided to go soft. I lose, well, I lose. What I wager is forfeit.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** But I think, Silver, it's in your best interests that I win, here. There's more bad blood than I'd like. I'd like to repair the relationship between us three, turn it back into something *productive* rather than a problem I have to solve.

**SilverWolf (DM):** You want to keep the Familiars out of it, or are you asking something more of me?

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Keeping you and Alornerk out of it is my intention, yes. I'm not about to ask you to try to rig the challenge, or go against your practitioner. It's going to be fair. But it's going to be the *kind of fair* most likely to lead to the outcome I've described to you above.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Your specialty, if I've understood correctly. ... Fine. But if you hurt her too badly, or if you fail to renounce that ownership, then we are going to have some very bad blood - metaphorically.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I'm going to renounce that leadership, as promptly as possible, should I win. I swear it. I will endeavour not to hurt your practitioner more than I have to. I'd like to be on better terms with you, Ms. Woods. With Glory too. I know it's a lot to ask, but please bear that in mind and refrain from doing anything rash.

**Echo - OMO Moderator (Эхо):** Warmage, have you received permission from the other party to release their name?

**Warded Warmage:** No. And I don't need it.

**Echo - OMO Moderator (Эхо):** Would you remove mention of it? If users are strongly suggested to not release their own names then it would seem unfair if others could release their names without the permission.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I rather feel that I've made my opinion on having a positive relationship with you rather clear, given the efforts to which I've gone.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Though mentioning my name *publicly* has indeed messed with that effort.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I will endeavour not to be rash. We've both been suffering the consequences of such. I don't want us to suffer more for it.

**Warded Warmage:** The code of conduct doesn't forbid doing so. And in this case, I've been wronged. I'll remove it as a courtesy, but know that I have spoken here within the bounds karma has permitted me.

**Echo - OMO Moderator (Эхо):** The code of conduct asks that you listen to moderators. You did nothing against the code, I agree.

**Warded Warmage:** Other members of this forum have had their name revealed, in cases of dispute. Including Stella Myers. By a moderator, no less. It was not disputed.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Where did you get Glory's name? I didn't think my Mother knew it - I learned it during a time when I didn't return home alone. Has that changed?

**Warded Warmage:** I have listened to you. In this case, I have no obligation to obey.

**Echo - OMO Moderator (Эхо):** I was not a moderator at the time. If I had been then I would have disputed it. I acknowledge that and thank you for your cooperation.

**SilverWolf:** I appreciate your courtesy, War Mage.

**SilverWolf:** And thank you, Echo.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Your mother told me. She can't exactly try to send people after her without knowing who she is, can she?

**SilverWolf (DM):** Problematic. Useful information, but... problematic.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I'm glad that this doesn't seem to have inclined our relationship towards ruin.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Were I to try and pay back every slight against me, Silver, the world would be a worse place. I try to be rational about these things. I still have business with Glory. Stella still wants us dead, and still needs to die. Resolving these problems matters more to me than whether or not you're trustworthy. Were it not for the need to prevent that pattern falling into place, I wouldn't have to ask this of you.

**SilverWolf (DM):** A slight? Perhaps consider it a compliment. I don't invest this much effort into everyone I come across.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I've heard all kinds of rationalizations why people should be grateful people are trying to control them, take from them, etc. I'd rather not put you and the people I've heard say these kinds of things in the same category, Silver. It's a damn unhealthy way to think.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I didn't say be grateful. Perhaps flattered. I most certainly was not expecting this much... calm... from the event of you finding out.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** There was a time I'd get more emotional about these things. A lot of folk have tried to do horrible things to me since then. Worse than what you've pulled. You'd think a person doesn't get used to it... but I suppose I have.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I expect people to get used to it, myself. Just usually in damaging ways. I promise you, for what it’s worth - I never intended to do anything really bad with it. I do like you.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** You're not the worst person I've met, Silver. Not even close. I like working with you. And I know you need power, while only having a few ways to get it.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** Don't give me a reason to feel otherwise. I don't want that, and you shouldn't either.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Perhaps we can work together more fairly, now. ... Would you wish me to still make you a gift? You could consider it repayment for this trouble.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** If you want to, I'm not going to stop you. Might have to scrutinize what you make more than I previously would have.

**SilverWolf (DM):** That’s fair. I do want to. Arguably it’s more for my sake than yours; my daily life these days seems taxing on my Self.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** You should maybe stop letting Glory take so much initiative. I presume you've got ambitions, things you'd like to do? You'll be more yourself if the two of you try to do them, instead of just roaming from disaster to disaster.

**Warded Warmage (DM):** I probably shouldn't interfere in how the two of you make your decisions. I think we've had a productive discussion, Silver. Thank you for your patience.

**SilverWolf (DM):** Thank you for your understanding. I wish you well.

Glory read all the entire exchange between Silver and Seamus, quietly, without saying another word scrolling down to read all the messages. When she was done reading, she simply nodded, and laid back against  the couch. "I guess we really are fighting after all."

Silver whines unhappily. “I’m... sorry. What’s fair reparations for standing aside in... this?”

"Do you really think it would be better for me... for the group, if I lose? Tell me, honestly." Glory looks at her, with an almost-pleading look in her eyes.

Silver... shrank. "I don't... I thought we were fine, as a loose alliance. I... Glory. I left, as far as I could. I approve of you taking responsibility for your own actions, but this... no. I didn't... I don't agree with it."

Glory looked down, with a saddened look on her face. "I'm trying to break out of a pattern too."

"I'm glad of it." Silver huffs, a bit. "Our patterns so far haven't been the healthiest. Changing them... I approve of that. I do." Silver straightens, still tense, but forcing her way through instinct. "But I think you're breaking one pattern by following another. You didn't talk to anyone first, did you?"

Glory looked away from her. "No, I didn't."

"We're not alone anymore, Glory," Silver murmurs. "Groups, pairs - they don't work very well when people just make decisions and don't talk first, do they?"

"But sometimes, someone has to make a choice," Glory said, continuing to look away from her. There was a bit of emotion in her voice. "Sometimes, someone has to put their foot down, and make the hard decision."

"Yes. The hard part is figuring out when it's merited. What happened here? You alienated three people. Granted, one of them was already pretty alienated, and I'm still yours, but - did you need to do it like this?"

"I don't think I really know any other way. I'm not very good at this."

**Grey-Cloaked Eminence (DM):** Might you still have some tea left to sell? I’m interested in purchasing some.

"That's why you talk to people. Me, at least. When you can. It was easier to figure things out when you've got many people on a puzzle, remember?"

Silver glances at her phone, types, then puts it away.

**SilverWolf (DM):** I imagine you learned my Mother's number during our conversations. You'll want to contact her for that.

**Grey-Cloaked Eminence (DM):** You learn a lot of interesting information, by town records and the internet. Though, I’d prefer not to contact your mother.

Glory didn't say anything. Instead, she only leaned in against Silver, resting her head on her shoulder. "I'm tired. It's been a long day. I got hit by a car."

Silver wraps her arm around Glory, nuzzling into her hair. "Yeah, love," Silver murmurs. "It has. I'm still here."

Soon, Glory fell off to sleep on her shoulder, drooling a bit against her. But before her eyes closed, and she fell away into slumber, her heart felt heavy with the thoughts that went off in her mind. She was going to have to fight Seamus. It was inevitable. She made her grave, and now she was going to have to sleep in it.

But there was an idea in her head, one that made her heart feel all the more heavy. "*We're not alone anymore, Glory," Silver murmurs. "Groups, pairs - they don't work very well when people just make decisions and don't talk first, do they?"* Silver's words echoed in her mind, reminding her, telling her to not follow the idea that has been brewing in her since she ousted Landis from the group, and claimed leadership of the Alliance.

*I'm sorry, Lyra,* Glory thought, as she drifted off the sleep on her shoulder. *But there's one more thing I have to do without you.*