Audio / un: of corpse not

[nothinglikefather]

[ Originally recorded the day of the senator's ill-fated party.
Jacob's voice is sore, rough from coughing, and throughout the recording he coughs periodically, as if he's just escaped a fire. ]

It's a snake. The Chained God. A great big fucking snake, covered in... in bits of paper. With writing on. Couldn't read it.

The chains are too. We were chaining him up, the the floor. It was broken, full of fissures. Not the chains, the floor.

We were chaining him, and he was... he said he someone else had... broken the womb? Birthed destruction? Not him. Or they'd taken up the mantle, because they'd chained him up.

[ He coughs then, and keeps coughing until someone seems to pass him a drink, and he murmurs thanks.]

That priestess. She asked me afterwards. If he was still a threat, I think. Told her that he was a bloody god, and they'd chained him up, so if he got loose then they'd be fucked.

That's... that's what I rememeber. Before the fire started.

Comments

[wifedup]

Mm, well, consent is key if you want someone to enjoy something like that.

( Amused, but not bothering to hide the thoughtful edge underneath. )

Although I wouldn't dare presume a snake's proclivities.

( And then -. ) You said there was a fire? Where the snake was being housed?

[nothinglikefather]

I'd think it was fairly fundamental most of the time.

[But he's talking to a man that runs brothels. Consent has a different shape for different people, in different situations. The people working in those places might not be willing, if it weren't for the coin offered in exchange. They both know that.]

A snake who happened to be a god has probably ones a bit more complex than ours.

[He pauses, takes another drink. It doesn't help wash the smoke from his lungs, but it soothes the burn left in his throat.]

No, at the party. Didn't you go?

[wifedup]

No. I had business to attend to here.

( There'd been things to sort out, schemes to put into place. He spares a thought to the women he'd sent to the party, making a note to go downstairs and send out a search party if need be. )

Wait, the snake god was at the party?

[nothinglikefather]

Between you and Lan Wangji, you'd think I wasn't able to look after myself.

[He's had worse than this. At least he's not picking bullets out of himself tonight.]

No, doubt they'd let him out even on good behaviour. Had a... like a dream? A waking dream, after the priestess gave me something.

[wifedup]

Don't compare me to second young master Lan, I might come out in hives.

( A pause. )

You had a vision? Mm. Come to the Jug, I know enough of the healing arts that we can make sure you won't be passing away in the night. Your lungs might have suffered damage from the smoke either way, and there might be some side effects from whatever poison you've been fed. ( Pleasantly. ) We can have a talk about not taking hallucinogenics from strange women.

[nothinglikefather]

I didn't know you cared, Wenny.

[The nickname slips out, he's tired, he still doesn't feel like he's at home in his own body, and now he's got to go to the Jug? He groans, getting up once more.]

I don't need healing, but if you've got beer, I'm not going to say no. The water here tastes worse than the stuff at home. And taking hallucinogenics from strange women is one of my favourite pastimes, you can't tell me to stop.

[wifedup]

( It's a good thing he's not on camera, with the face he pulls at Wenny. )

Clearly Xiao Frye cannot be left to account for his own health, I'll be the judge of whether or not you need something. ( In another life he might have been a Healer either way, but what little he's picked up here and there is still of some use. ) Just go to the office when you get here, I need to check the girl's are all accounted for.

[nothinglikefather]

[It's a pity, Jacob would love to see it.]

Playing mother again are you? [Cough] I'll be there later.

[And he is. Much later. Smoke still hangs over the city, still lingers in his lungs, but he has experienced worse. Crossing Ephes via it's terracotta rooftops is no real difficulty, and he refuses to admit that he's wheezing when he drops into the yard behind the Well-Oiled Jug. He doesn't even need to pick a lock, the unglazed window just requires him to hop through and let himself into Wen Kexing's office.

...And into the man's own chair. Although really, it's more of a collapse than a dignified lowering into the seat.

He's fine, alright?

[wifedup]

( It takes him a while to figure out the fate of the women. Thankfully they're a clever lot, eager to leave before the going gets really tough and once he knows they're all fine he heads back to the office, grabbing a jug of water on his way past. He senses Jacob before he even enters, which means his expression is one of begrudging tolerance when he enters, taking something out of his pocket to toss Jacob's way. )

Chew on that.

( It's a pouch of mint leaves, meant to soothe his throat more than anything. The water jug gets thunked down and then without asking, Wen Kexing is snatching Jacob's wrist to take his pulse. )

I've heard a little more of the party. Assassins, really?

[nothinglikefather]

[Wen walks softly, shoes hardly making a sound, the fabric of his robes a sigh of silk. If you're distracted by the noises in the Jug, you might miss it, but Jacob is listening for them, eyes closed, breathing slow. He doesn't open them when the door opens either, only when the smell of the mint hits him and he picks it up off the desk. He examines it a second, but Wen is already grabbing for his wrist.]

Didn't you tell me not to take any more drugs from pretty people?

[But he submits to the examination anyway.]

Not proper assassins. Just killers. I've seen better.

[wifedup]

If I wanted to drug you I'd do it without your notice. ( A sideways glance, prim. ) Fortunately for you it's not exactly my style. It's just mint, it should help soothe any irritation on your throat.

( His pulse seems fine, but still Wen Kexing is frowning as he lets go, finds a cup in his desk drawers to pour the water into it. )

Anything other than the fire?

[nothinglikefather]

Now where's the fun in that?

[ Jacob knows its mint. He rememebers it from his grandmother's garden, growing like a weed and threatebing the other herbs, like some sort of bully taking up all avaliable space. He picks off a leaf from the sprig, chewing it while he watches Wen fuss.

He seems so grumpy. Is he upset he missed the fun? Did the girls get caught up in the fire?]

There was a murder. A few, I think. I wasn't in a fit state to tell who. Are your people okay? They got out?

[wifedup]

All accounted for. They know to run if things turn south, there's no amount of coin around to risk losing a life for.

( He'd been sure to tell them all so since the matter with Allir had come to light. A few still seem to believe he might turn on them were they not to bring in the requisite amount of money but truthfully Wen Kexing does not care. Corners can be cut elsewhere, as long as everyone is safe. )

What turned the tide, do you think? Did anyone say anything during the attack? The why's, more specifically.

[nothinglikefather]

No. But there's too many rich sods in the world that will push your people in front of a blade.

[ People are like that everywhere. Ephes is no different from London in that reapect. ]

Turned the tide? That's an assumption and a half. There was a lot of screaming Wenny, people didn't stop to make hypotheses. But considering where it hapoened? Politics. And all this shit with Messalina will be the root of it. Most of the big players were there.

[wifedup]

( Guilt sits in the hollow of his throat - how many innocent people have died because Wen Kexing set his own monsters out in the political landscape? Zhang Chengling's family for one, but there are countless others out there too. He is no less awful than the people here. )

You don't send assassins on a whim, and more often than not the deaths are part of a message. You might be right though, Messalina has everyone acting poorly. ( He nudges the water towards Jacob more pointedly and then wanders off to the other side of the room to find wine, bottle clinging. ) Did you see their disagreements before? The senates, I mean.

[nothinglikefather]

You might, if you're mad. But I doubt that's what happened here. This was a convenient time and place, and yes there was a message. But I think the fancy bastards that got killed might well have been to stop them voting. I'll get their names in the morning.

[ He should be doing it now. But he knows that he's not fit enough to try. Besides, there are other ears listening tonight, and he can find out what he knows from them.

He pulls the water closer, making a face. ]

Didn't you say you had beer? And yeah, I saw that debate. If you can call it that.

[wifedup]

Drink your water first.

( He leans against a chest in the corner of the room, popping the cork from his wine with easily. Taking a long, pointed gulp, Wen Kexing eyes Jacob from where he is, something thoughtful in his expression. )

You'll tell me the names, when you do? If you could find which way they intended to vote, that would be useful too. ( A pause. ) Be careful, though. I fear we're involved in something far bigger than ourselves. ( Another gulp of wine. ) This is why I hate politics.

[nothinglikefather]

Yes mother.

[He picks up the glass and then downs it, swallowing each gulp and keeping his eyes on the other man. When it's empty, the glass is set down again. If Wen is having wine, Jacob gets it too.]

Of course we are. That's what politics is. A lot bigger than us, but it's going to royally screw us all up if we don't do something about it. The people in Ephes are going to suffer, the rest of the people in this world are going to suffer, and we might never go home. Which may or may not be suffering, depending on where you're from.

What's in it for me? Giving you the information?

[wifedup]

( An overly dramatic sigh and then Wen Kexing is going back to the crates to pull another bottle free, shorter, a little rounder - beer, like he'd offered. He carries it over to Jacob without a word, setting it down in front of him before he lifts his own wine bottle to his mouth. )

Coin, as per. Unless you're more into drugs nowadays. We do have those here too.

( Not that he's ever tried it himself. Wen Kexing might be desperate to see the world in all its shapes and colours but the idea of losing himself to something unfamiliar puts him off. Oh, drinking to excess is fine, he's used to that, nobody's killed him yet, but anything else he's shy of. )

And what does Master Frye think we should do then?

[nothinglikefather]

[The sigh has Jacob raising an eyebrow.]

Are you considering a life on the stage? You may need a little more practice.

[But he mutters thanks anyway when the bottle is handed over, uncorking it and pouring the measure into the glass- careful that the foam doesn't spill over.]

Money is fine. You can pay the rent with it, for a start.

As for what I'd do? Find out who was dead, what they were going to vote for, find the correlation. Then go pay a visit to any known enemies, watch them for a while, and look through their paperwork. We'll work out who is at fault, but whether that changes the outcome of the vote or not... that much I can't promise.

[wifedup]

You think I wouldn't be a natural?

( With a smirk, an eyeroll. )

Oh, it will certainly change the outcome of the vote. Fear is a wonderful motivator. It will make people second guess no matter way they were planning to go. We'll be lucky if they don't all abstain. It's a mess, and we're all stuck in the centre of it.

[nothinglikefather]

To play a put-upon housewife? An annoying sister? Without a doubt.

[He clears his throat again, smoke still causing a strange unpleasant sensation, and sips at the beer. Maybe it's the mint, maybe the water, maybe the beer, but it does begin to ease that unpleasantness.]

Oh, I doubt they'd abstain. That's what cowards do, and they don't want to be seen as cowards. They're proud Ephians. But... you know, maybe if we offer them some reason to trust us, they could still vote the way we want. Bodyguards and protection? They might go for that.

[wifedup]

We'd have to all agree on a course of action for that, though that might be useful.

( Thoughtfully. )

You're very eager to offer yourself up, Master Frye.

[nothinglikefather]

We have one already, our dear friend Petronius. He may want a new bodyguard, or an assistant. And if his colleagues are told "well Petronius has one of those new strong, brave outlander guards" they may choose to have one. We don't need to have all of them come on side at the same time. Simply... start a fashion.

[He takes another sip of beer, slowly letting it ease his throat.]

I didn't say I'd do it. Can't be in two places at once, alas.

[wifedup]

I meant more within our specific group.

( Those who have been taken. )

This one voiced some concerns over the ... network, isn't it? It would appear the majority hope to coast by this whole affair by doing whatever it is Messalina wants. It's been interesting, to say the least. Those voting against her might not get the same protection as the others.

( Wen Kexing could offer himself up, but he has long stopped being someone else's lackey. He's more interested in working behind the scenes. )

I do not know what could be a good enough incentive to have them risk their lives. The threat of the undead may seem paltry, compared to an assassination.