This is the noise that keeps me awake.
Jan. 24th, 2011 10:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xhesikaIt's chilling enough without knowing what is going to happen. I love the way I feel when I write.
The entire chapter 46, spoilers galore:
“With all due respect, I did warn you that Covington was dangerous.” Pandomé said to Van Dean when he emerged from the Dauphine’s quarters. She had waited patiently next to Fosh at the door during the past half-hour, both highly curious over what the discussion topic had been.
At any other time he would have responded with a snide remark, a threat, or even a glare; but he was now too busy plotting his next move to respond to Pandomé. She knew better than to truly doubt him. He only gave a slow glance to the dark-eyed woman, and then a small smile to the Clovinian soldier beside her with the same eyes.
Fosh glanced back at the door as Van Dean walked away, the details had been withheld from him, the Dauphine had sustained an injury, the High General was being detained, and Caspius Van Dean would not utter a single word to Pandomé.
Rei leaned against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest, keeping a hawk’s watch over the man with the scar, slumped in the chair.
“Got a cigarette?” Kamen attempted a weak smile.
Rei made a face, “You don’t smoke.”
“I was thinking this would be a good time to pick up the habit.”
“That is what you’ve been thinking about?” Rei’s shoulders dropped and his eyes widened, “How about begging for your life? You figured out a convincing way to do that?”
“I considered it, but it isn’t really my style.”
“Style!? Caspius Van Dean is about to tear out your heart and you’re worried about your style?”
“Isn’t that what you would do?”
Rei bit the inside of his mouth, “Since when do you take lessons from me?”
“It seemed like a good time to start. You seem to be really, really good at not getting yourself killed.”
Rei’s expression softened and he relaxed his posture, lifting himself up to sit on the edge of the desk, “He won’t kill you. Orla hates him too much already for him to risk it with something as trivial as this. He’ll lock you up.”
Kamen gave him a glare, “Thanks, that helps.”
There was a slow knock on the door and the two men felt their posture stiffen, Rei made a small jump down from the desk and glanced at Kamen with a weak smile before going over to open the door.
Rei offered the man at the door a small bow of his head, “Prince Van Dean, please come in.”
“The Queen is still tied up with the aristocracy?” Van Dean said after glancing into the room.
“Enjoying Pitch’s wit for the time being, the guests are unaware of the incident.”
Van Dean smiled before closing the door abruptly on Pandomé, “Excellent.”
Kamen glanced sideways when Van Dean pulled up the other chair to sit next to him. He was slightly startle by the gesture, but didn’t let it show and allowed himself to meet Van Dean’s gaze.
“I’m not going to read your thoughts.” Van Dean leaned back casually, “I’m going to try to level with you.” He had Rei’s full attention now, and the Commander slowly slid into his chair. Van Dean allowed himself a small smile, “I feel I owe you something for putting me at such an advantage. Artemis would do anything to stop you from getting hurt, Lord Covington.” The name was not said with any particular change in tone, but it was enough to be caught by every ear in the room.
Kamen grimaced at his statement, “You read her.”
“She begged me to do it.” Van Dean leaned forward in his chair, “Your reasons to hate me are very well justified. I can’t blame you, but I won’t seek your forgiveness either.” He glanced at Rei with a smile, “Aren’t you just the most treacherous? Using Artemis to get me to sign off on the cycling amendment, and then setting her lover as High General?” He ignored Rei’s arrogant smirk, “I ought to kill you.”
“Likewise, but we’re in no position to do anything of the sort.” Rei said.
Van Dean gave a simple huff and nodded, “Not with Dalia and Clovis so near solid peace.”
“You’re…not going to kill me?” Kamen asked slowly.
Van Dean shook his head, “You’re too useful to me alive, my friend. You’re Artemis’ biggest vice, and I intend to exploit that.”
Kamen’s stomach knotted itself with rage, and Rei had a rather unsettling feeling in his own stomach. The instant Kamen had opened his mouth to speak, Rei cut in, afraid of what the High General would say, “When Nora Sybil hears of this...what do you intend to tell her? Are you going to go public about the unification?”
“Of course not. Nora Sybil will never learn of this.” He turned to Kamen, “I’ve always wanted to try out one of those combat training drills I hear so much about. Looks like you’ve finally lost one Covington. It’s a shame Artemis took it seriously and tried to intervene.”
Kamen swallowed hard, “A drill, you’re going to tell Nora Sybil that it was a drill mishap?”
A simple smile crossed Van Dean’s face and he stood from his chair, walking around to the back of it and running a hand over the edge, “I’m giving you a vacation. Artemis won’t need you much for the next few weeks anyways, and I don’t think you would be very welcome in Dalia.”
Kamen’s ears pricked, “Dalia?”
“How often do High Generals get vacations? You should count yourself lucky.”
The man with the scar swallowed hard, “You’re taking her to Dalia?”
“For a few weeks, as long as she can stand it.”
“You can’t do that. She would never agree to it. She’s afraid of bugs, the dark, and you most of all.”
Van Dean laughed, “Of course I can. I told you. Artemis will agree to anything with your life on the line.”
“You’re despicable.”
The entire chapter 46, spoilers galore:
“With all due respect, I did warn you that Covington was dangerous.” Pandomé said to Van Dean when he emerged from the Dauphine’s quarters. She had waited patiently next to Fosh at the door during the past half-hour, both highly curious over what the discussion topic had been.
At any other time he would have responded with a snide remark, a threat, or even a glare; but he was now too busy plotting his next move to respond to Pandomé. She knew better than to truly doubt him. He only gave a slow glance to the dark-eyed woman, and then a small smile to the Clovinian soldier beside her with the same eyes.
Fosh glanced back at the door as Van Dean walked away, the details had been withheld from him, the Dauphine had sustained an injury, the High General was being detained, and Caspius Van Dean would not utter a single word to Pandomé.
Rei leaned against his desk with his arms crossed over his chest, keeping a hawk’s watch over the man with the scar, slumped in the chair.
“Got a cigarette?” Kamen attempted a weak smile.
Rei made a face, “You don’t smoke.”
“I was thinking this would be a good time to pick up the habit.”
“That is what you’ve been thinking about?” Rei’s shoulders dropped and his eyes widened, “How about begging for your life? You figured out a convincing way to do that?”
“I considered it, but it isn’t really my style.”
“Style!? Caspius Van Dean is about to tear out your heart and you’re worried about your style?”
“Isn’t that what you would do?”
Rei bit the inside of his mouth, “Since when do you take lessons from me?”
“It seemed like a good time to start. You seem to be really, really good at not getting yourself killed.”
Rei’s expression softened and he relaxed his posture, lifting himself up to sit on the edge of the desk, “He won’t kill you. Orla hates him too much already for him to risk it with something as trivial as this. He’ll lock you up.”
Kamen gave him a glare, “Thanks, that helps.”
There was a slow knock on the door and the two men felt their posture stiffen, Rei made a small jump down from the desk and glanced at Kamen with a weak smile before going over to open the door.
Rei offered the man at the door a small bow of his head, “Prince Van Dean, please come in.”
“The Queen is still tied up with the aristocracy?” Van Dean said after glancing into the room.
“Enjoying Pitch’s wit for the time being, the guests are unaware of the incident.”
Van Dean smiled before closing the door abruptly on Pandomé, “Excellent.”
Kamen glanced sideways when Van Dean pulled up the other chair to sit next to him. He was slightly startle by the gesture, but didn’t let it show and allowed himself to meet Van Dean’s gaze.
“I’m not going to read your thoughts.” Van Dean leaned back casually, “I’m going to try to level with you.” He had Rei’s full attention now, and the Commander slowly slid into his chair. Van Dean allowed himself a small smile, “I feel I owe you something for putting me at such an advantage. Artemis would do anything to stop you from getting hurt, Lord Covington.” The name was not said with any particular change in tone, but it was enough to be caught by every ear in the room.
Kamen grimaced at his statement, “You read her.”
“She begged me to do it.” Van Dean leaned forward in his chair, “Your reasons to hate me are very well justified. I can’t blame you, but I won’t seek your forgiveness either.” He glanced at Rei with a smile, “Aren’t you just the most treacherous? Using Artemis to get me to sign off on the cycling amendment, and then setting her lover as High General?” He ignored Rei’s arrogant smirk, “I ought to kill you.”
“Likewise, but we’re in no position to do anything of the sort.” Rei said.
Van Dean gave a simple huff and nodded, “Not with Dalia and Clovis so near solid peace.”
“You’re…not going to kill me?” Kamen asked slowly.
Van Dean shook his head, “You’re too useful to me alive, my friend. You’re Artemis’ biggest vice, and I intend to exploit that.”
Kamen’s stomach knotted itself with rage, and Rei had a rather unsettling feeling in his own stomach. The instant Kamen had opened his mouth to speak, Rei cut in, afraid of what the High General would say, “When Nora Sybil hears of this...what do you intend to tell her? Are you going to go public about the unification?”
“Of course not. Nora Sybil will never learn of this.” He turned to Kamen, “I’ve always wanted to try out one of those combat training drills I hear so much about. Looks like you’ve finally lost one Covington. It’s a shame Artemis took it seriously and tried to intervene.”
Kamen swallowed hard, “A drill, you’re going to tell Nora Sybil that it was a drill mishap?”
A simple smile crossed Van Dean’s face and he stood from his chair, walking around to the back of it and running a hand over the edge, “I’m giving you a vacation. Artemis won’t need you much for the next few weeks anyways, and I don’t think you would be very welcome in Dalia.”
Kamen’s ears pricked, “Dalia?”
“How often do High Generals get vacations? You should count yourself lucky.”
The man with the scar swallowed hard, “You’re taking her to Dalia?”
“For a few weeks, as long as she can stand it.”
“You can’t do that. She would never agree to it. She’s afraid of bugs, the dark, and you most of all.”
Van Dean laughed, “Of course I can. I told you. Artemis will agree to anything with your life on the line.”
“You’re despicable.”
