#eric withnail

I got tagged by @sleepyowlwrites, about this time last year. Thanks for the tag.

I somehow completely forgot I had this fic, so these are all from the Fighting Fantasy World of Titan Modernish-AU (which, dear gods, needs a better title).

Walk

[Elowyn] argues with Thazar about her duties while away, and Strucker argues with Thazar that she doesn't need any duties to be assigned here, that Storri can handle that perfectly fine.

She walks away from that loud and earnest discussion with orders to provide a weekly report on her activities, and a reminder that she is a representative of the city so for the love of all the gods, all the saints and whatever else is holy in this world of theirs, do not cause Trouble. She promises to write the reports.

Run

"Here you go Sarge," [Cobbleskater] says, handing over a stack of fabric. [Elowyn] nods in thanks as an office door slams open. "O'Toreguarde!" Everyone in the room winces at the volume and projection of that voice, and she feels all eyes turn to her. She is still dripping. "Ten minutes, Cap," she calls back, over her shoulder. There is a collective sucking in of breath. "Make it five," the Captain says, and the door slams closed again. She intends to only be three. The general chatter of the room returns as she disrobes, right there in the middle of the bullpen. It is a common enough sight that her colleagues pay no heed to the precinct's most unlucky-lucky officer, as she buttons up Cobbleskater's shirt, and pulls on trousers that don't quite fit her figure. The shoes are a conundrum - his will not fit and hers are filled with water - so she chooses nothing in favour of speed. She has run through the streets of this city in nothing more than a well-tied bed sheet before now; the short walk to her Captain's office is nothing. She spares a quick glance at the pile of wet clothing, but Cobbleskater notices. "Go. I'll deal with it," he says, giving her a push. "Thank you, Constable," she returns. One day she will remind him he is not her personal valet, maid or typist. But, she also suspects, that will be the day he will be zipping up her body bag.

Meander

They meander back through the museum through a corridor lined with portraits and Elo is surprised to learn that His Majesty has a fond appreciation for art. With that in mind, she diverts their exit so that he can view 'The Casting of Challenge Seeker', a rather famous piece that takes up one whole wall. Painted in a renaissance style, it depicts five heroes arrayed in a line at the top of a tower. Around them are littered the corpses of demons, while above them in tumultuous clouds a titanic figure emerges, only his torso visible. This Titan is reaching out to the heavens beyond his stormy clouds, where a sword shines like a star just beyond his grip. For all it looks classical, Elo knows it's a contemporary piece - commissioned by some anonymous donor in celebration of the phoenix-like rise her city endured. Elo smiles when the King, reading the little plaque explaining this, gives an awed little mutter, and she sees his eyes flick to the shortest member of the pictured company. The King turns back to her after a long moment of staring, and he gives her the most solemn incline of the head she has seen from him thus far. She returns it, her smile growing in delight.

Skip

When [Elowyn] gets back, Snips has Hildur standing, clinging to him with her free hand, like he is the only thing keeping her upright. "I'm going to take her to Matilde," Snips says. "When I return we need to talk." "Snips-" "No. No, don't you 'Snips' me," he says, doing a passable impression of her slightly wheedling, slightly threatening tone. "We need to talk. So you can choose to remain here or in my mortuary, but I will return, and I shall be... cross if you aren't here." "All I was going to say," Elo replies, capitulating internally, "is that maybe this is a conversation to share with Farren. He should be in by now. How about I meet you upstairs, and we'll commandeer an interview lounge?" The mortician narrows his eyes at her. "I won't skip out on you. You have my word on it - my bark and my blood as my bond." They both blink. She doesn't know why she said that, except that it feels right to do so. Snips looks taken aback, but then he nods. "Very well," he says. "You will need to tell Constable Breakwood what transpired here eventually, and it would be best to deal with both things at once, rather than having to repeat the conversation." They nod tightly to each other, while Hildur stares at them both. "Come now, my dear," he says to the lab tech. "Let's get that nasty burn seen to." He is far more gentle with Hildur than he has been with Elo, as he leads the lab tech away.

Trot

"Now the formalities have been dealt with," the DA said, "perhaps we should explain to Lady Elowyn why she is here. Madam, Sire, if you'd please?" Elo nodded and went to take a seat. She'd picked up on the emphasis of 'lady'; so she was here in the most official capacity that they can claim to for her? That was interesting. King Storri sat opposite her, as she took a seat to the left of the DA, who began his explanation. "As you may recall, Madam, several years ago, Iceland broke off trade with our fair city-state. We have now come to a point where the Icelandic government feels they can broach the idea of trade with us again - albeit in small amounts. His majesty felt the right way to proceed was to begin the negotiation process himself, and we are inclined to agree. We also felt that as you are already acquainted with him and members of his security force, you would be the ideal candidate to accompany his majesty around the city as guide and protector both." "And, of course," Elo can't help adding on, "it doesn't hurt for people to see one of their heroes trotting around in his company - letting bygones be bygones and accepting him and his folk." There are still tensions in the city - the withdrawal of trade was not a one-sided affair, and some folk still view the Icelandics with suspicion. "She is astute," rumbles His Majesty, clearly pleased. "She's clearly having a better day than usual then," Merri mutters from where she stands. "I have my moments, sir," Elo says. Merri snorts, and Elo can't help but smile at the sound.

Move

"You closed this deal," Magister Thazar says in a flat tone, though there is the merest hint of askance there. [Elo] can't work out if he's questioning that she did it, or that she is implying the deal wasn't already as good as closed. She opts for the safer argument. "I fixed any damage caused," she says. "Even I could tell that it was pretty much a foregone conclusion, but I couldn't risk it falling through for any reason." "And what did you offer [the King]?" "Dinner, and my presence in meetings. Obviously, many of the details I will let you or others work out. I remain as I ever was to you, a pretty centrepiece for your political table." Thazar's chin tucks down, and there is a surprised frown resting over his brown. "You think that's what you are to me?" he asks, the corners of his mouth turning down so much it would be almost comical if he didn't seem so saddened by what she's said. "I think you made that pretty clear today," Elo says and winces internally at how cold that comes out. Thazar moves like he's been struck, wincing back, hurt clouding his face. "What did he offer you?" Strucker asks when it is clear that Thazar is not going to make any further comment.