FERRUM

Any doubt about this being anything but an unpleasant conversation vanished within seconds of the magnetron opening his mouth. They’d never been enemies exactly, but they’d never gotten along, either. For most of their lives, Gerard hadn’t spared a thought to the older Samos sibling. Distance was a blessing in that way- he hadn’t even had to think about his own brother, away at the Choke for so long, let alone spared any thought to Alessa’s. 

In the past year that Augustus had been back at Archeon, however, the animosity between the two had grown. Now, Samos looked about as happy as Gerard felt, but he quickly shoved that thought from his mind. He didn’t like the idea of having anything in common with Augustus Samos, especially not something as minute as this.

It showed that they thought the same way, and he hated that.

The older man’s words struck him as odd however- while he’d been headed to get his hands on some alcohol, he hadn’t yet touched a sip. “Daydreaming about me, Samos?” Gerard asked, ignoring the man’s intended taunt. “I can’t imagine why else you’d think to have seen me with a drink.” 

“Unless you’re trying to accuse me of something?” 

     Except for their shared family name, ability, and features ( brown hair, blue eyes, and a jaw cut like a diamond ), the Macanthos siblings had little in common. From what he had heard from Graham’s own mouth, it had been this way for ages, the fissures between each sibling only growing as each year passed. Truthfully, he couldn’t remember a time when Alessa wasn’t the rationale behind his actions and even if he could, he didn’t care to. 

     Looking at Gerard now, Augustus recognized elements of his best friend’s looks mirrored in his own brother’s. It wasn’t surprising ( they did, of course, share more than a handful of genes ), but it was a bit DISARMING. He could hear his voice in the back of his mind, dolling out advice in spades, telling him that making a scene here would be rather petty and foolish. 

     Drinking the last bit of liquor, Augustus set the now empty glass on the makeshift counter in the booth, the beginnings of a grin making itself known on his face. He’d listen to his conscience, but he wouldn’t forego all fun. “ Hm, odd. I could’ve sworn someone pointed and said that it was the Champion of the Fe— ” he stopped as if he had come to a realization, “ Oh yes, I forgot, that’s no longer you. ” Shooting the other a sympathetic look, Augustus shrugged sheepishly, “ Mea culpa. ” Then motioning to the barkeep, he spoke again, “ Whatever he gets, its on me. ” 

     Without looking back, he left Gerard there, satisfied with what had just happened. Perhaps it seemed a bit kind of him to make up for his folly, but Augustus hadn’t paid for a drink all night and he wouldn’t pay for THAT one either. It was of little consequence to him.

Sabina accepted the ball cautiously, as if she was half-afraid it might reveal rows of sharp teeth or burst into flame at a moment’s notice. She looked back up to Augustus, head inclined slightly over her right shoulder. She couldn’t think of a single time in her life where she’d hoped to find the right opponent; partner perhaps, in training exercises or in dances, but she had never sought an adversary. “I can think of plenty of things I’d disavow without trying them. Walking on coals, for instance. Attempting escape from sealed crate submerged in a tank of water… or leaping from a building.” Those activities, however, were quite different from a single plate-smashing game, she realized.

     A surprisingly genuine smile overtook his features — a rare occurrence, but it did happen if the company was right. Truthfully, it was difficult to fight the light that shone within the youngest Welle, especially when contrasted to her brother’s innate darkness. Although they vastly differed, Augustus found it difficult to separate the two, his memory fusing them together as a part of his past he fought hard to suppress ( not that he’d ever admit to it of course ). Amused, however, Augustus nodded and raised his brows mockingly, “ Sabina, no harm will come from breaking a couple plates and if it really does pain you to do so, you can always miss. I won’t be displeased. ”

The other man closed in on him, his height and physique completely different to that of Damon’s. Next to this Silver he must look pathetic– skinny, small, underdressed and dirty. Hell, he wasn’t sure he looked like a person at all, especially in the shadows. Their worlds were so different. Although this was something that told Damon to hold tongue, respect the hierarchy, it only encouraged troublemaking more. He was a rebel after all.

He smiled and nodded, happy that it was far less confrontational than he had expected. “Right. Because I’m meant to be scared of you?” The other man told him not to run his mouth but if there was one thing he had trouble doing, it keeping his mouth shut. More often than not he found himself at the mercy of his own lack of filter, his own lack of control. Every bad thing that had happened in his life came from not being able to stop himself. Why would he stop it when he clearly couldn’t fix it.

“i’m just trying to enjoy the carnival. That’s all.”

     Augustus stepped back to the side, his feet unable to stay still. It was clear to see that this Red was challenging him, pushing his buttons to provoke a fight, but he knew undoubtedly that it’d be over as soon as it started. The other man carried himself like he had no care in the world, like he was worth the DIRT he stood on, that was a lie however, one that only he believed. If anything, this Red was the lint on his pants, the gum on the bottom of his boot — annoying and inconvenient, but easily taken care of.

     His comment made Augustus push out a peal of sharp and empty laughter. It rung in his throat, guttural in sound. “ Yes. ” He answered simply, “ Believe it or not, it’s of no difference to me, but the truth of the matter is that you SHOULD be scared of me. ” Moving towards the Red again, Augustus shook his head, not sold on his weak excuses. “ Don’t. This isn’t for your enjoyment. Just crawl back to your dumpster and stay there for the remainder of this event. ” 

Victoria hesitated for a moment before taking his arm but then did for the reason of propriety and appearance’s sake. What she really wanted to do was just walk away but that would be rude. “Have been enjoying the festivities Lord Samos?” she asked him in the trained small talk that had been ingrained into them since they were children. She could hear the music continuing on behind her and yearned to go back and rejoin but it was too late now. 

     She was reluctant at first, but eventually Victoria grasped his arm, her lithe fingers wrapping around the base of his bicep. Together, they stepped off the floor without incident, dodging paired couples spinning in wide, extravagant circles. As she spoke, he turned his head to look down at her, saying exactly what was expected of him, the words heavy on his tongue, “ It’s been pleasant enough, have you been enjoying them as well Lady Laris? ”

Sera: what?

Augustus: Thank you, you know what it's made out of?

Sera: What?

What the fuck?

Kris stared openly at him, face crinkled up into a look of confusion. Why were they so wantonly wasteful here? What was WRONG with him? He could have just apologised, or moved on without a word; but the patronising fake concern for her health made her blood BOIL, and she felt her throat and cheeks grow hot.

Let him see her filthy Red blood rising in her; see if she cared.

“Fuck’s your problem?” She asked, voice just a shade too low to be a shout. “You ain’t give a fuck about my health, man, you just wanna lord it about over me. What, your big old castle and your fancy fuckin’ clothes ain’t enough, you gotta talk at me like I’m a kid?” She snatched the cigarettes from him, because a gift given in hatred is a gift none the less. “You all think you’re so much better ‘n us but at least I sleep well at night knowin’ I’m not an all-round slug human bein’.”

     Augustus rolled his eyes, the Red’s dramatics so obviously lost on him. He had been humored for what seemed to be a second, but after her tirade, all amusement had been sapped out of him. Back at the Choke, no one had the audacity to speak to him like that regardless of blood status or reasoning. His temper was notorious and his capacity for forgiveness was nonexistent — this was yet another reminder that he was far from where he had spent the past decade.

     “ Are you done now? ” He asked first through gritted teeth. Perhaps another Silver would’ve been remorseful at her words, but Augustus only felt simmering annoyance. It wasn’t his fault she was born lowly and even if it had been it wasn’t his problem. They were all dealt cards to play and it was true, some had better hands, but ultimately it all came down to how they were used. “ You’re right, I don’t give a fuck about your health, nor do I care about what you have to say. ” 

Curiosity. If that was what drove the man to talk to her, then they had even more in common than she’d originally thought. The youngest Calore princess was motivated almost exclusively by her emotions (namely rage and annoyance, although her ash-choked heart was known to be rather fickle); her heart and her gut decided what she’d do — what she’d pursue — and her head merely drew up the plans and decided how. Since intrigue was something both the heart and the mind could foster, most of the endeavors she undertook in its name were successful.

Considering she still found herself intrigued by the Samos heir, the burner couldn’t yet claim that she’d been triumphant in her attempt to satisfy her curiosity, and it irked her. The conversation they’d had over brunch revealed little more than she’d already known, save for small, insignificant things — the reason he wore gloves (murder, what else?), how he intended to catch those responsible for the attack — and he’d left her wondering. He hadn’t done it on purpose, certainly, but she was naturally inclined to wonder where there were gaps, and Augustus Samos had left plenty.

“By that logic, my Lord, you must be lonely as well.” The fiery blonde pointed out his own lack of an entourage, her remark punctuated by a subtle shrug of her shoulders. While it was possible that the man was, in fact, lonely, she severely doubted it. Helene knew where to find company if she so desired it, and she imagined the magnetron in front of her functioned in more or less the same manner.

The older man maintained a visage as COOL as the metal he commanded when he responded to her question, and although a flicker of annoyance flared up in her chest, she merely nodded her acknowledgement of what he’d said; she couldn’t (and wouldn’t) honestly say that she particularly cared, but pleasantries were a necessary evil.

“They are,” Helene affirmed, a few loose blonde strands rustling when she turned her head to look at the guards yet again; the tip of each of their heads in turn denoted respect. 

Even if he hadn’t held such a high station, Augustus Samos would’ve all but demanded respect, and strangely enough, the wildfire of a woman was willing to oblige.

“You drive a hard bargain,” the burner allowed, a smirk toying with her scarlet-painted lips. “But what kind of a lady would I be to brandish a blade at the head sentinel?” As if to answer her own question, the twenty year old’s dainty fingers slipped into the silk pocket of her dress and drew out the dagger by its hilt. It was beautiful, the kind of weapon that one didn’t have to be a magnetron to admire, and she held it out for him to take if he so wished, an expectant gleam in her blue eyes.

        “ If anything, I’m busy — and I do have a counterpart, he’s just off galavanting somewhere. ” Augustus replied wryly, arms crossed against his chest. “ And it’s different, we’re not obligated to follow each other around, not like your ladies. ” It was a small poke meant to test the waters so that he could gauge her reaction ( or lack thereof ). How did Helene Calore react to a little bit of heat? She didn’t strike him as the type to get offended by such petty comments, but if she did, he’d rather know now when the ties were loose enough to cut. 

     Augustus then grabbed the dagger by the blade as she held it out like an offering; it was habit he picked up in his youth. Long ago, he had grown accustomed to the cold, sharp bite of metal and now he found with that acclimation, there was a kinship formed between man and element. It was a shame that burners couldn’t feel the pain their flame inflicted, in his opinion it gave way to profound understanding, but the last thing they needed ( or deserved ) was his pity.

     The knife itself was pretty, more of a decorative piece than weapon, and as he withdrew it from its case, he found that the swirls of gold accenting only further supported his supposition. It was a narrow piece too, perfect for that space between two ribs near the heart and lungs or where armor plating overlapped, leaving room for a lucky assailant to strike. With right amount of sharpening and a steady hand, even something as ornamental as this dagger could be deadly. 

     Expression brightening, Augustus looked back up at Helene and countered calmly, “ Hopefully, one with a well thought out plan. ” Then, a sly smile spread across his face and as he continued to speak, he slid the knife back into its sheath, “ Besides, though that would be silly, I think the question that picks at my mind more is: what kind of person brandishes a blade at a magnetron? That’s the greater folly, don’t you think? But I guess some people have a death wish. ”

     After finishing his thought, Augustus gave the signal for the two assigned guards to disperse, his free hand up in the air. They’d be back when he was gone of course, but for now it was just him and her as it had been days ago in her rooms. 

      ❝ Don’t say I never gave you anything. ❞

Brooks saw no reason to hide the fact he was in the Choke. Those people had crushed his life, and he still loathed them all for not even giving Reid a proper funeral he deserved. Fuck — he had not even been allowed to mourn. They all just wrote it off as if it was nothing. But it was so much more than that. One day he would let everyone involved in this pay for all of it. He would make their life meaningless just how they pointed how Reid’s life was. Anger boiled in his veins, his breath starting to become heavier, but he did his best to remain calm, staring into the eyes of the enemy.

“I got around.” He responded quickly, not putting any kind of emotions into this conversation. The man opposite him asking questions didn’t deserve it better. Especially now, that he could detect so much hate growing inside him when he was looking into his face. There were memories with it, some he had probably just pushed away into the back of his mind. “I got a job when I was.” Under normal circumstances he would be in the Choke again since a year, but Brooks had escaped and joined the Scarlet Guard to prevent this. So, it wasn’t as much of a lie. “They didn’t come for me again.”

     The man standing grim faced in front of him seemed to stiffen up at his questions. Conscription had its pros and its cons, but it filled the ranks up with able-bodied men and women, so as an officer Augustus couldn’t complain. Of course, there was the occasional bad apple, though they were sorted out quickly, especially if HE took notice. Nonetheless, Augustus thought that the practice was a bit archaic — not because he held sentiment for the Reds but because of the sheer amount of deserters they had to sort through and the cheek people in roles of leadership dealt with. In an ideal world, they’d freely volunteer, not needing a gun to the head, but Augustus knew that this world they lived in was f a r from ideal.

      Technically, the Red he was speaking with had taken the easy way out and though the term desertion didn’t quite apply, it was similar enough for him to disregard the line. He supposed not all people could handle war though — a pity, really, they needed more soldiers, not fishermen. Nodding as the other man spoke, Augustus finally decided to cease his interrogation. “ How fortunate for you, ” he replied, his tone mildly acerbic, “ Someone must be looking out for you. ” 

Prosperina nodded in calm acceptance, disappointed not to have a more precise location for her friend but grateful for the help nonetheless. It truly hadn’t occurred to her to locate the sentinels first—their crimson would stand out in this crowd, a great gaping wound surrounding a Calore king, and of course Sera would be in her favoured white. It made her look like a ghost amongst the bold reds and blacks favoured by her kin but Prosperina wouldn’t have her any other way—pale and glittering, like a diamond on a bed of silk.

“I’ll pass the message on,” she avowed solemnly, inclining her head, unsure if he’d meant the threat in jest—Sera, after all, did so like to take herself away from her father’s guards, and it seemed uncommonly unkind to rob them of their careers for a simple slip. All the same, there was something ferocious about him, and she wasn’t certain enough that he was joking to laugh.

So instead she smiled and prepared to linger a moment to make polite conversation. It was what was expected, the moves to the game choreographed to an inch. He was—Prosperina took little notice of the business of others, in truth. She had quite enough to be getting on with about herself. But Augustus Samos—was there an edge of something extra to his words about Sera? Something that shuffled, just slightly, past the respect of a man for his princess? Oh, she didn’t know. What did she know of Augustus to judge if that were true…and would it make a difference if it were?

All she knew was that he was watching her with his wolf eyes, lean and intimidating, and she had a role to fill—a polite, harmless lady in waiting to play.

“Are you enjoying the festivities?”

     He was not one for idle chitchat, but most conversations here in Archeron seemed to be planted in mindless pleasantries. Dutifully, Augustus engaged but even as a child he found the entire ordeal to be rather droll and after his experience at Rocasta, such beliefs were only reinforced. Things ran on a different clock back at the Choke and he for one preferred the faster pace. Every word spoken, every step forward, every single motion had its PURPOSE, but in Whitefire, though some ( like him ) had a hidden agenda, interactions like this were generally of little consequence. 

     Even with his new elevated position, Augustus found that most of the disputes he dealt with were fairly tame, the only exception being the recent bombing down at the docks. With that thought, Graham’s words echoed in his mind, foreboding and grim. He hadn’t seen the prince’s new companion at all since the masquerade ball, but no doubt she was lost somewhere in the crowd. 

     Glancing around haphazardly, he tried to see if he could spot her. Although she was petite and dainty, those milk white locks ( identifying her as a Gliacon, he supposed ) would be a dead giveaway amongst the hues of gold, red, black, and brown. But as Prosperina voiced her question, his dark eyes flickered back to her. “ Well, I’m enjoying the open bar, ” he deadpanned, knowing fully that none of the booths had free drinks, at least not to the general public. 

                       “ And you, Lady Titanos, are you enjoying the birthday celebration? ” 

He came to a halt a few feet away, watching as the magnetron hoisted the hammer over his shoulder, swinging it with a careless ease. He must have thought he was so much better than everyone around him, watching the meter rise and rise through ridiculous labels like “AMAZING” and “OUTSTANDING”. Cavan didn’t believe the two words held different weights. He crossed the small distance that separated them and held his hand his hand out for the hammer. “Mind if I try?”

     The shadow that crossed him as he stood hammer in hand made him want to swing back and clip the other in the skull, but as a small child ran past the two men, Augustus reluctantly relented, his fingers loosening its vise-like grip — this wasn’t the time or place, it was a family event and there were far too many witnesses. “ No, not at all, ” he half-snarled, dropping the hilt so that it fell to the floor with a loud clang, “ Has gardening improved your strength, Welle? You’ve always been so scrawny. ” 

Adri mentally slapped herself for thinking that she could go off on someone without a silver sticking their nose where it did not belong. Both girls stopped at the stern voice, filled with authority, the type that Adrianna absolutely hated. It belonged to a silver. Teeth clenched and hands balled up into a fist. Frightful eyes from the other red girl met hers, and without hesitation Adri told her to go. She would deal with this. As always, she put herself in the line of fire for other fellow Reds. She faced them so they wouldn’t have to. 

The girl was aware that she could get into trouble for this, but without any fear registering in her small body, she turned around to face the male. She ended looking up at the taller male. Lips pursed and standing in straight. She would not bow or coward at the sight of them. Not even when they looked like they could break her in half. 

“No. There is no issue here, your royal highness.” She replied, sarcasm decorating her words as she jabbed at how silvers treated the reds. “I was merely telling this gentleman to not think anything gives him the right to treat others like shit. I’m sure you would understand that right?”

     A panicked look crossed the first girl’s features, her green eyes widening as they fell on Augustus. Immediately, she deferred to the brunette and without much complaint, the Red fled as soon as she was given the okay to. The other one held her ground, pivoting so that they stood face to face, her body language screaming, “ Fight or fuck off! ” When she spoke, her sharp tone only supplemented what he saw, adding an extra bite to her words.

     ( “ No. There is no issue here, your royal highness. ” )

     He chuckled, his arms crossing his chest as they folded together. If only. “ It’s Lord, actually, and mind your tongue, it has been cut off for transgressions less offensive than that. ” She had obviously said it to be cheeky, but such comments, offhanded or not, were still considered treasonous. The line was fine and he had studied it in length so that when he did cross it, everyone would know it was no accident, everyone would know it was he who pushed the blade in between the future king’s ribs.

To say the way the other man moved was creepy, would be an understatement. It was like he was gliding, every foot placed with purpose and thought, his shoulders broad and strong in his dark silhouette. It made Damon uncomfortable, his careful calm breathing taking a back seat as he squinted into the darkness. He should have known that the voice that accompanied the strong body was unlike a Red’s. There was something strange and foreign to his tone, the formality taking him off guard.

If he understood? How could he not understand? The princess, which at the time he didn’t realise, burned his shoulder and his favourite jacket because he stepped on her toe. He understood. He was a moron sometimes, but understood when he realised he said the wrong thing. But what he didn’t understand was why this other man had taken it upon himself to follow up, Damon already had the burn, what else could the guy want? Damon squinted into the darkness once more, checking it wasn’t someone like the princess or something dumb like that. But he couldn’t see squat and he was too in pain to really try.

“Why do you care.” His voice was taut as it had been with Helene. “You think I didn’t get the message loud and clear from the birthday girl? Or do you just think she can’t handle herself– does she know you check up on everything she does?” It was the pain talking more than anything, and while he knew it was definitely not the right approach, he was far too preoccupied for any other tone.

     They were RIGHT, he was more nuisance than actual danger. The boy was like a bee buzzing, buzzing, buzzing near his ear, more than ready to sting, even though in doing so it meant certain death — to put it simply, he was dumb. Most Reds he knew ( usually either servants or soldiers ), held their tongues out of self-preservation when addressing a Silver, especially one who held himself like Augustus. This one didn’t, sticking his foot in mouth over and over again. 

     Scoffing aloud, the magnetron shook his head. From his words, Augustus could tell he didn’t know shit. “ No, I don’t think you’ve got the message loud and clear, if you did, you wouldn’t be mouthing off to me right now. ” He took two steps forward so that he was now a little less than an arm’s length away and his idle hands were folded in front of him in anticipation, though he was sure he could easily apprehend him if necessary. “ If you think she’s extreme, just wait until you see me dole out punishment. ”

     He breezed by the Red’s other questions, deeming them not worth his time. The magnetron hadn’t come to guide him though Silver society, he didn’t need to validate his presence to someone so little and insignificant. “ For once, just do yourself a favor and cut the bullshit. If I hear you’ve stirred up more unnecessary trouble, you’ll be wishing you were dealing with her again. ”

Sabina wrinkled her nose, eyes firmly fixed at the perfectly nice (at least for now) plates. “I do hope that’s not our defining characteristic.” With just one well-aimed pitch at the display would make Sabina a participant in that sort of wasteful extravagance, leaving a hundred scattered shards of something once whole. Something about scattered shards called to mind the fractured friendship Augustus and her brother shared, or had once shared. She and Alessa had been friends once, too. “Our words are strength and power,” she returned, turning her attention to him. “I prefer even those to wastefulness. Besides, I don’t think this game would pose much of a challenge to you. There can’t be much fun in that.”

     Her reaction was to be expected, Sabina was an unrelenting optimist after all: everything was sunshine breaking through skies of dark grey and flowers blooming in the starkest winter. He didn’t underestimate her for it however, their perspectives may have differed vastly, but he knew it took copious amounts of both luck and intelligence to survive past infancy with Cavan prowling about. Stifling laughter that would be odd to let out in the moment, Augustus picked up the round ball and tossed it from hand to hand. “ Well, some think that smashing plates exudes strength and power and you can’t disavow it without trying it at least once, right? ” He held out the ball in his gloved palm and then continued to speak, “ Besides, it can be challenging, all you need is the right opponent. ”

The spectrum of people he wanted and didn’t want to see began and ended with two different blondes, and somewhere in the middle of that graph marked Augustus Samos. The man was directly in front of him, and while he was not Helene, who was to be avoided at all costs, he certainly wasn’t Diana. Gerard’s heart wasn’t singing for joy at the sight of the magnetron ( though he certainly wouldn’t mind trading in Augustus for his sister ), and as he made his way to the nearest booth providing alcohol, Gerard resigned himself to the fact that there was no way to avoid he other man. 

“Samos,” Gerard said stiffly, meeting the man’s gaze. He resisted the indelible urge to leave a large black mark around the magnetron’s eye, an urge he’d been fighting since Alessa interrupted them in the hallway that day. 

     Their last interaction was fresh in his mind; the affront to his pride leaving a mark still tender and raw like a wound scabbed over, healing but not yet completely healed. If it weren’t for his sister’s sudden intervention, Augustus had no doubts blows would have been dealt. They were both too headstrong to back down and both too comfortable with the language of aggression and because of it, anytime they spoke ( even in passing ) they clashed like two blades crossing each other in the heat of battle. This moment wouldn’t prove to be any different.