(Corvin/Jalko Adventure 2 RP): Corvin and Astrid Talk

[archolewa]

Astrid spares a glance for Corvin when he falls into step beside her, but she mostly keeps her gaze on the surrounding trees.

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Talk to me Astrid, something's bothering you, even I can tell that... beyond the obvious."

[archolewa]

Astrid glances at Corvin out of the corner of her eye. For a moment it seems like she isn't going to say anything, before finally speaking. "I'm still mad at him."

Astrid's next words come out in a rush, like someone had opened the floodgates. "Ass of a kinsucker taking on that burning Mark, then stubbornly refusing Terri's help. He might be alive right now if he hadn't been so burning arrogant."

Astrid blinks and stares at the ground. Her next words are soft. "Seer have mercy, I feel some relief too."

Astrid wiggles off her gauntlet, and holds up her left hand, the skin smooth and unmarked. "It's gone now, Corvin. After Seer only knows how long in that lightless hole, with that burning waste of grain of a woman trying to force me to serve the monster my family's been fighting for generations, it's gone. And, and this means we don't have to fight him either. You saw that gleam in Mordred's eye. I was so afraid that one day we'd have to put him in the ground ourselves."

"I'm relieved, and I burning shouldn't be. And I'm angry, and I shouldn't be. And I'm tired and heartsick, and I just want to go home. But my home's nothing but a pile of cold, grey ash."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin puts his hand on her shoulder

"Then you're in good company, because you've pretty much summed up my feelings... angry at him for the mark and Terri, and relieved we don't have to see him turned into an evil parody of who he was. I need to find a way to let that go so it doesn't poison my memories of him. But don't feel guilty for him taking your burden away so you can live your life. He cared for you and it was his choice, his gift to give. Something I didn't have the courage to give..."
he looks away.

[archolewa]

"Doesn't feel like much of a gift," mutters Astrid, though she pats his hand. "I got no problem with you not sacrificing your life Corvin. I want you here. Burn it, I want Mordred here, and my mom and dad and brothers. I'm getting really tired of everyone dying for me."

Astrid laughs bitterly. "They never mention that in the stories, when the noble knight gives his life so the princess can live. Nobody mentions the princess' guilt or pain or loneliness. Everyone seems to forget the part where the princess sits there wondering what makes her so burning special that she gets the 'honor' of watching everyone around her just die, die, and die some more."

[shaidar]

Corvin

"None of this is on you, it's Benjy, and when I get my hands on him..." his voice trails off and his hands clench and he is quiet for a few seconds before clearing this throat and continuing "Do you mean that? About being tired? If you want to settle down then do it, don't feel you need to keep going because of us. I won't think any less of you. As for home, if I've learned anything from my life so far then it's that home is where you make it with the people who matter to you."

[archolewa]

Astrid half smiles, and she shoves Corvin a little. "Well then seems to me I have a bit of a problem. See, the only guy who matters to me who still had the decency to keep breathing is doesn't look like he's planning settling. So I'll settle down if you find yourself a cute girl Lupine and start popping out puppies for me to babysit."

Astrid's smile, such as it is, fades. She sighs. "I can't stop. My family's been fighting long as we got stories to tell, and with Benjy's betrayal, well. I can't quit. Too many ancestors have given too much for me to let them down. Especially not now, when we finally got some hope. I'll be ok. Just need some rest. A chance to sleep for a bit with both eyes closed you know? "

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin nods "I know what you mean. I'll be glad when we get the halflings to the monastery. Once there we can rest easy, well easier anyway. Then we need to see how we can find them a home, and keep the Clenched Fist away. So, nothing much left to do." he pauses and turns to look directly at Astrid "And maybe it's time we start actively looking for Benjy so he can't hurt anyone else."

[archolewa]

Astrid shivers, and holds her arms. She doesn't look at Corvin. "Y-yeah, yeah maybe. We'll have to be careful Corvin. He's done several tours, and seen heavy fighting. Heavy fighting. I sparred with him some when he was home, before everything went to ash. He's good. Really good."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin puts his arm around her shoulder.

"OK, I understand. He's good, better than us at the moment, but one day he will get exactly what he deserves. But maybe we can start to put out feelers, see what we can learn about him, find out where he's been or hangs out. We should think about it. It's not really the kind of intelligence work I know much about, but Old Will from the Stolid Soldier, he seems to know an awful lot about what goes on in the city and the important people there. He even knows Goldstreak, well enough to send him a letter of introduction about me. We should think about asking him for advice."

[archolewa]

Astrid smiles weakly. "Yeah, that's a good idea. And who knows? Maybe I just think he's better than he is. I hadn't spent weeks in a pitch black hole, or been blooded yet after all."

Astrid gives Corvin a one-armed hug. "Thanks Corvin. Glad at least we're together again."

She gives him a mischievous look, and her smile grows a bit stronger. "But I meant it about the puppies. I'm thinking I might have to come along when you meet Goldstreak. Have some girl talk with some of the cuties."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin grins "Well, I can't stop you coming to the solstice celebrations. As for settling down, one day, but... it's hard to explain, I just feel I have things I need to do first, something to give to The Refuge. It's not fair to expect a wife and children to deal with me being away and all they have is worry. Maybe once Benjy is dealt with I'll feel comfortable settling down."

[archolewa]

"Well, I'll be there, come drought or demons," says Astrid. She grins. "If only because mini-Corvins, Corvies(?) would be adorable."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin smiles "I'm sure the Corvies will love their aunty Astrid, who will spoil them rotten no doubt."

[archolewa]

Astrid giggles. "Spoiled. Rotten."

We'll end the RP here, unless Corvin has something else he wants to say.

[shaidar]

We'll end the RP here, unless Corvin has something else he wants to say.

Nope, that's the perfect place to stop.