un: heart-fluttering hummingbird | audio (forward-dated: 24 May)

[downswing]

( A silence to his mouth, begrudging. The words, when he does speak them, gravel between teeth: )

...apologies. The blood in the northern halls will want more hands for the washing.

We made insufficient attempt.


( ooc: posted today for ooc ease, but assume this comes up after Sizhui/Eleven/Mingyu speak with the miners, around 24 May. Alina and Lan Wangji have given the miners their mercy kill, before they could fully transition, and removed the bodies from where they were kept... but clean-up. )

Comments

[darkeststars]

What, you all too good for strangling? Neck-snapping?

Or you could've called some of the rest of us.

text ; un: knelt lady of swallow and song

[sankta]

I was going more for painless than clean.

[darkeststars]

Should've asked for more volunteers. If you wanted a clean swift beheading, I could've cauterized.

[sankta]

I didn't realize that was a skill you had. Next time I'll keep it in mind.

[darkeststars]

Let us hope there isn't one, but my saber stands ready.

You made the actual kills then?

[sankta]

We can only hope.

We both did, but yes. I pushed to save them, I just didn't realize the kind of saving they needed.

[darkeststars]

Hm, I see. Don't think I've heard about your skills in much detail as yet.

At least we had people there who recognized that sometimes mercy and violence may be the same thing. I doubt that can be said of all our number.

[sankta]

I've learned that lesson the hard way in the past. It's not something I want to repeat, but I had to take responsibility.

I summon sunlight. In case you ever need to know again.

[darkeststars]

Admirable.

And this sunlight does more than burn, I take it.

[downswing]

Enough hands stained.

[darkeststars]

There are plenty of killers in this number, Lan. I don't see the relevance.

[downswing]

Allow that I know it.

[darkeststars]

Hn. Regardless, your moral qualms are not anyone else's problem. If you insisted on doing it by yourself, clean up the damn mess by yourself.

[downswing]

Then, I shall.

[darkeststars]

[ the fact that Lan Wangji, of all people, didn't make any further protest to having to do actual work is weird enough to make him frown a little on the other side of the line. Not that he could feel worried about a guy like this or anything, of course. Preposterous. ]

[downswing]

( He's sickened of explaining himself. At least one person should understand. )

There was no time to conceive slights.

[darkeststars]

[ there's another second of silence ]

--Look, I'm not trying to pass judgement, all right? The deed is already done. But if something like this happens again, call me. [ another pause before he sighs ] ...I'm good at this sort of thing.

Actually I thought two of us had planned to take care of the entire matter -- myself and... I think you know him?... Wei Wuxian. [ he's still not been brought up to speed on that whole relationship, okay. He and Wuxian mostly talk shop, and speaking to Lan Wangji doesn't exactly tend to go well. ]

[downswing]

( Hissed, between everything: )

Do not stain his hands.

[darkeststars]

Ah. Is that the reason, then?

[ he wasn't sure up until this exact moment how close the pair might or might not be, but there's no mistaking the tone of that voice. ]

Look, first of all, getting involved was his idea and I'm under the impression he's a professional like myself.

Second. I wasn't going to.

I already told you, I'm good at this sort of thing.

[ he's pretty sure Wuxian was under a different impression, but frankly, the executions should be left to the Sith with the lightsaber. ]

[downswing]

You are not alone.


( In being... good in these matters. )

[darkeststars]

I see.

[ on another day he'd surely make a snide remark about the quality of the execution in that case, but oddly enough, it's absent on this one. Not that he would show concern for Lan Wangji or something, obviously. ]

The warlord has certainly selected for those with a particular set of skills. Interesting that he could be so precise in his kidnapping.

[downswing]

Killers and weapons. ( A kindness unto Sizhui, the mistress Qing, others of the more innocent present, to only consider them as instruments. ) Suitable for war.

[darkeststars]

Yes. Sensible enough.

[ ...ugh, he really should go help clean up the damned blood. His somewhat battered sense of compassion wars with the petty, spiteful desire to make the Lan do his own damned work around here, but -- well, another thing Sith learn to be great at is cleaning up bloodstains. If someone like Arche doesn't take care of it, others will inevitably end up doing so. ]

...Eleven or someone adorable like that hasn't hopped right up all helpful-like to volunteer to clean your blood mess for you, have they?

[ hopefully Wangji would turn them down, but Archeval didn't survive this long by assuming the best of people. ]

[downswing]

He will not see the quarters.

( Will, superior to need. There are thresholds children cannot cross and maintain the better part of their innocence. )

Divert him.

[darkeststars]

Being like that about it, is he? [ he drawls the words out with familiar dry, black humor ] This would be my infinite lack of surprise you're hearing.

Yes, I can see about a distraction.

[ he doesn't think you're too much of a kid for it, Eleven, or anything like that. He knows you well enough by now. He just thinks you shouldn't have to be there. ]