vatheon | 1st Die - I'm no lord

Entry tags:

1st Die - I'm no lord

Who: Mat and ~~whoever hears his screaming~~ you
Where: The Plaza
When: May 23rd
Style: Either! Starting in prose though
Status: OPEN!

He had been smiling, turning to pick up that rabbit his dagger had found, when he had been pulled - physically this time, unlike when it felt like he had a hook sunk into his belly tugging him toward one of the other two - straight into salt water. Did he somehow get launched into the ocean surrounding the island? That didn't make sense, he'd been standing closer to that river than the sea but- Light his eye hurt.

Blood and bloody ashes, he'd thought getting it torn out hurt! That was nothing compared to this, that pounding as salt water touched where he had had an eye not long before. Dimly he was aware he had begun screaming, collapsing to the ground as he had when they had taken his eye from him. Burn him, maybe he ought to have taken that offer of Healing. He couldn't do anything but scream, but he faintly noticed that not just his eye socket had been drenched in salt water-his entire body had. At least, he hoped it was salt water. He couldn't check. Light, had his eye started bleeding again? He had thought he would be safe once he was outside the Aelfinn and Eelfinn's domain, but here he was proven wrong. He took a few ragged breaths a while later, having stopped screaming.

Light, but it hurt! "Blood and bloody ashes," he whispered, voice hoarse from screaming and weak from pain. He shakily pushed himself to his feet, leaning on his ashandarei and pulling his hat down to shade his socket for all the good that would do. At least his scarf had stayed in place; he didn't want to deal with explaining to Thom and Moiraine how he had gotten it. Burn him, he couldn't remember if she'd known before she pushed Lanfear into the doorway back in Rhuidean and it'd collapsed. He'd gotten it not long before that. Why weren't they here? They'd been nearby and he wouldn't be surprised if the Band had heard his screaming back in Andor! Thom at least should have been here; Moiraine was still weak from her stay but she could channel to protect herself. But they weren't. That was strange. He hoped they hadn't run into trouble at the camp.

He had half a mind to not refuse Healing the next time it was offered, but no. He'd not let any Aes Sedai get their claws into him again, not even her. Light, maybe especially not her.

Tuon wouldn't learn to channel, not with what that means to the Seanchan. That much he could relax about. No need to worry about his own wife tangling him up in Aes Sedai plots and schemes. She'd tangle him up into other plots but he didn't care. Other people's plots hadn't been what had torn away parts of his memory. For now he should just plan on how to get back- a scan with his good eye told him this place was completely unfamiliar to him. That would explain Thom and Moiraine not showing up. But...Light, he'd been screaming. Thom and Moiraine hadn't shown up, but what about creatures from this bloody place? Something had been bound to have heard, and he doubted he'd like the meeting.

Still in barely more than a whisper, he mutters, "Burn me, what's going to be thrown at me now?"

Approach him...?

[ooc: An ashandarei is a sword spear. He will try to use it on you if you try to heal him, just a fair warning. And his face is bloody right now. Have fun~]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Unfortunately, yes. Once a month, people are pulled into this city from different worlds and times. Thankfully, time does not pass in our home worlds while we are here, so you can relax on that point if you had something pressing you were attending to.

[Zelda keeps herself in his line of sight with her hands folded in front of her. He seems to be extremely paranoid, and she doesn't want to set him off.

Or, judging from the rather fresh state of his wound, perhaps he's just not used to having one eye?]

[He sighs, relaxing a bit.] That's a bloody relief. I don't need Thom and Moiraine to wonder where the Light I've gone off to while I'm here.

[If she's telling the truth...He reluctantly reaches a hand out to touch the coral. Light, that feels weird! He yanks his hand back. His socket isn't bleeding as freely now, but it felt almost like he'd been Healed, without the other side effects apart from feeling a bit drained.

He is paranoid, but with bloody good reason. He was just in the realm of the flaming snakes and foxes! And they tore out his bloody eye, though that was the price he chose to pay for Moiraine. 'Chose' is probably not the best way to describe it though. He was told he would have to give up half the light of the world to save the world what feels like years ago.

He frowns.] What do you mean, different worlds and times?

It's a bit difficult to explain. Would you like to look at the residency list? There might be someone here from your world that can explain it to you in terms you would understand.

[Zelda's carrying one of the brochures around with her, so she simply hands one to Mat.]

Alternatively, you can look that over and ask me for clarification. I'll help if I can. We're all in the same situation here, after all.

I'll look at that later.

[He chooses to look through the brochure first. At least, he assumes that's what this is.]

What's a communicator? Something to do with getting letters place to place quickly? [Continuing to read now...He looks up at her with his eye.]

What if you want to build a house? [He...doesn't want to live near anyone who isn't from his World. Just in case.

Curses. This bloody place had curses. If these curses were anything like those wishes the Eelfinn gave him...Light, he was tossed from a fixed bad situation into a possibly worse one! Sorry Zelda, he seems to have forgotten he even asked you questions.]

You can build a house. Other people have. The communicator is shaped like a starfish, you should be holding it...

[She trails off, tilting her head at him worriedly. He seemed quite upset.]

Is something the matter?

[That's good to know; his mind kind of absorbs that even though he's not actively listening.

Curses. Of all the flaming things, this place had to throw curses at them. Quietly, almost to himself:] I'm not sure I'd choose curses over wishes anymore.

[Dark One take it, Zelda, that makes perfect sense. Wishes are what got him hung after all. He tugs at his scarf a bit to loosen it just a hair. What, was this place also going to give him answers? Or was it going to ask him questions instead? It was already giving them the opposite of what the Eelfinn did, so why not the bloody Aelfinn too.]

The curses tend to not be fatal, at least. Humiliating at times, but not fatal. The last one we had was completely harmless, all the flowers you still see around sprung up and caused people to feel happy when they were nearby.

[She graciously does not tell him about the thought bubble curse or the confessions curse. It still grates on her nerves, hearing that upon arrival would make anyone upset.]

Those flaming wishes weren't fatal either! It's their bloody price that could have been.

[Light, he might be scared. Curses tend to be worse than wishes after all. That hanging might have been fatal if Rand hadn't gotten there in time to cut him free and give him CPR. He rubs a thumb along the carved letters on his ashandarei. He was glad they'd given him this; it's what let him save Moiraine, but he could've done without the hanging.]

...even if you die here, you will come back to life in five days.

[Her voice is a little quieter than usual. Before, she's always been able to give that statement with confidence. But with how the coral is now... how much longer will it be true? Should she really be telling this man that? He could be in danger if he acts recklessly.]

I still would not recommend it, though.

That's not any flaming better!

[The Aelfinn told him he'd die and live again, and live once more as part of what was after all. He doesn't want that to happen. For all he knows it might already have happened, but light he's not sure.

~~Best first impression, isn't it?~~ He glares down slightly at her, straightening.] You shouldn't recommend it anyway. Things like that shouldn't happen.

[Blood and ashes, it sounds like the Dark One's hold here is very strong if that really happens.]

It's not exactly the natural state of things, is it?

[Goddesses, this man is difficult to deal with. She supposes she would be cranky if she were covered in saltwater and injured, too.]

Would you like to get inside and get cleaned up? I can wash your clothing in the meantime if you like. Perhaps we can locate your communicator, as well?

Of course it's not bloody natural! Doesn't mean it hasn't happened before in my world.

[Really Zelda? He's only cranky?

He blinks.]

I'm not that dirty though. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting even if you have something to do.

[What are showers? Are they like sweat tents?

And he doesn't want to disarm himself either. He doesn't trust her enough to show his pile of knives hidden in his clothing.]

[The princess has yet to meet someone she finds so disagreeable that she can't converse with them, mostly by mentally assigning more pleasant adjectives to people's attitudes. So yes, Mat is merely cranky.]

If you're certain. I am with the Welcoming Committee here, though. I don't have any other duties today outside of assisting new arrivals.

[If he was from when he still had that cursed dagger, he might have been the first.

He nods.]

I'm certain. What's this about people leaving? [Sure the brochure says that it's not by people's free will, but burn him, he's going to try to find a way back.]

And what month is it now? We don't use 'February' where I'm from. [He pronounced the first r by the way]

February is the second month of the year. It is currently the twenty second day of the fifth month of the year, May. Days last roughly twenty four hours here, and months are about thirty days long. It was not that way on my world either, so it took a little getting used to.

[Zelda purses her lips when he asks about going home.]

People seem to leave when the city is finished with them and not a moment before. I have been looking for a way out for seven months, now.

[Second month is...Jumara. So...wait-]

Thirty days to a month? Ours are 28 apart from Amadaine.

[Not that many people pay attention to which day is which or which month they're in. Feastdays matter more. He's not even sure what month it was back home.

He sighs.]

I read that. Doesn't mean we can't keep looking. Maybe my luck will help us find a way back. [It makes complete sense.

--] Seven months? That's just a little more than half a year! [If a hair was half a month.]

[Zelda grimaces slightly. Thank you, Mat, for reminding her of just how long she's been here!]

Yes, I am aware. Quite ridiculous, really. People spend their first couple months trying to get out, but most give up after awhile.

[Judging from the expression on Zelda's face, she hasn't given up yet and never plans on it. She has a country to return to, after all.]

[He frowns.]

Why do they give up? There should be a way out somewhere. If there isn't, I'm surprised the others brought here haven't forced one. From what you said, it's not like they can die here. They've got nothing to lose.

[Can you tell he's the best general in his world? And that he has no idea what happens if you try to force a way out.]

Actually, has anyone tried to force a way out?

They give up out of apathy, I would suspect. I will continue to study the mechanics of this city regardless. And... while it is true that we cannot die, that is dependent on the coral. It is also the coral that keeps the barrier above the city intact. Our lives are in its hands, essentially. Experimentation upon it has to be gentle. That, and the locals will discourage anyone from messing about with it too much. You are certainly welcome to try, but do take everyone else's lives into account too, won't you?

[She turns and points to the third level of the city, visible from the plaza but barely.]

Our captors may be up there. You're welcome to take the issue to them.

[Wait, the coral is what makes it so people come back to life? If not for the fact that it also is what keeps the barrier up and protects the city...No he won't try to see what happens if the foxhead medallion touches it or the ashandarei. He might not want to be here, but he doesn't want people to die because of him. That was only a thought of if people had tried it before. Some wouldn't care about dying anyway.

He shakes his head. He still needs to learn more about the situation to make any sort of actual decision.]

Burn me, I didn't think it was the coral people'd be trying to break to get out. Isn't there some other barrier up on the island this thing mentions?

[And he might do that. When his eye isn't in pain anymore and he's not quite as unused to fighting with only one eye. Just in case.]

There is. We aren't quite sure what creates that one. It behaves differently, too - if you push yourself against it, it bounces you off. It is only to keep us from leaving, it's not keeping anything out that I know of.

[Zelda is glad to see that he seems to be calming down and actually thinking this through before rampaging. She always worries that someone will come through here and disregard everyone's safety entirely.]

Are you quite certain you don't want to get cleaned up? I can at least get you a cup of tea. It won't do if you catch a chill while you're injured.

[Huh....He waves a hand at the coral and the 'sky'.]

And the coral's barrier keeps the water from rushing here? I can see why no one would try walking through it if that's the case.

[He doesn't want anyone to die, but since she said they got brought back, he wanted to know if anyone tried that.

She mentioned tea. Doesn't this place have wine? Maybe she's not old enough for it or something. He could go for a drink of wine or beer right about now.]

I'd like to get dry. Do you have any wine?

People have tried regardless. It's solid.

[At his request to be dry, she raises a hand and wicks the moisture from his clothes. Her magic is probably different than the channeling he's used to.]

There's little I can do for the salt, I'm afraid. You'll just have to wash them and yourself. And... I think there is a bar around here? I do not go to it myself. Do you really want to further retard the healing process? I can heal you as well if you'd like.

[Blood and ashes! He takes a step back, eye widening. She's a flaming Aes Sedai? ...but the medallion didn't get cold and it'd worked. His words were that he wanted to be free of the One Power, so maybe she doesn't use that?

Regardless, he takes a couple steps back and stops leaning on the ashandarei. Could never be too careful with bloody Aes Sedai. Even if she didn't call herself that.]

Don't do that again. [He isn't trying to issue an order just...don't. Really. Don't use magic on him again. And ask if you feel like you need to. Honestly.

His eye narrows.]

I don't want any flaming Healing. Inde muaghde Aes Sedai misain ye.

[Hover over. He doesn't seem to notice it wasn't the same language, though that might be because he's glaring at her. What schemes did she want to tangle him in?

He notes that there's a bar nearby though. Thanks for that.]

[Goddesses, he's acting as if she burned him. All she did was dry him off!]

I apologize. Is there a stigma against magic where you are from? I sometimes forget that we are not all used to the melting pot that Vatheon has become. I meant you no harm.

[Though, truthfully, he's right to worry about her schemes. It's something no one in this city has really caught on to just yet...]

1st Die - I'm no lord

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