h u s h

"Some place for a fancy meetup, eh?" Ulthur says with a hesitant chuckle. He had been avoiding most people at fancy meet since the morning, as Ulthur hadn't been much of a socialite. Had he been, his mother and father would have made use of it in promising him to a high lord amongst the realms most eligible bachelors. However, Ulthur's sheltered nature wasn't as a difficulty as it sounds. There was freedom in being with oneself. Though, the same freedom didn't seem to apply to being a First Sentinel. Being First Sentinel apparently meant being part of kingdom festivities, being paraded around amongst the many lords and lordlings of the realm, to be leered at for their highness' approval. Ulthur wouldn't have minded as much, but the absence of the Feranthor's familiar structures caused the half-giant uneasy. Seeking a bit of air, and perhaps fewer ogling eyes, Ulthur found a familiar face, warden Hush.

"Did they ask you to give them a twirl or was I only that lucky?"

He didn't look at Ulthur immediately, hands clasped behind his back as the Sunspire's torches burn warmly in the dying sunlight.

“Fancy,” he echoed dryly. “They’ve wrapped silk around the same men who would draw steel over a border.” Only then does he glance at him - brief, measured.

“They asked nothing of me. I tend to sour the illusion of this event.” A pause, subtle but deliberate. “Naturally. Why? Would it make you jealous to know that others might actually enjoy my chilly demeanor?”

His gaze settled on Ulthur more fully, quiet appraisal softened by something he does not name. “I watched you with them. They gawk at you because you look like a legend stepped off the Wall. Let them stare. You carry it well.” He stepped nearer the terrace edge, left space at his side.

“If anyone asks you to spin for applause, refuse.” A beat passed, voice lowered just enough to belong only to them. “If you’re to humor anyone, First Sentinel, it should be someone who knows what your mighty hands are truly meant to hold.”

    there  was  something  about  the  other  man  that  made  devansh  feel  protected  and  on  high  alert  all  at  the  same  time.  first,  he  knew  that  he  was  highly  capable  of  defending  people  if  anything  did  come  out  to  attack  them.  secondly,  his  presence  alone  was  a  constant  reminder  that  there  was  a  threat  out  there.  that  the  rift  might  have  opened  up  over  a  century  ago,  but  it  still  posed  a  threat  to  their  livelihood.  it  was  funny.  for  varlinnis,  due  to  the  year  that  he  was  born,  the  high  priest  served  as  that  same  reminder  as  well.  he  shared  a  birth  year  with  that  wretched  disturbance  in  the  world.  something  that  he  had  feared  to  admit  might  have  had  more  of  an  impact  on  who  he  was  as  his  person,  his  role  to  play,  than  he  had  thought.

    while  his  shoulders  seemed  to  have  finally  relaxed  now  that  the  sounds  were  muffled  around  him,  he  was  able  to  enjoy  his  wine  again.  glancing  at  hush  in  contempt,  appreciation.

    "you  are  correct,  but  there  are  ways  that  one  can  still  quiet  that  edge  without  getting  rid  of  it  entirely."  the  veilbound  are  of  great  interest  to  him.  not  only  because  he's  made  a  few  during  his  time.  “one  just  has  to  be  willing  to  try.” 

    he  sighed  softly  as  he  studied  the  other  man.  was  it  more  of  a  curse  than  a  gift?  “do  you  wish  it  never  happened?  that  you  would  still  be  able  to  rely  soley  on  your  hand  and  sword?”  then  he  did  nod  at  his  obervation.  “you  would  be  correct.  although  some  of  my  kind  still  show  off.” 

Devansh’s look did not go unnoticed. Very little ever did.

Hush felt it the way he felt a shift in wind along the wall - subtle, telling. Protected. On alert. It was a familiar balance. People often stood a little straighter around him without knowing why. Often stepped half a pace back. Even now, within the priest’s quiet dome, the air near Hush’s shoulder seemed fractionally darker, as though something stood just out of alignment with the rest of the world. If one stared too long, it appeared to move. If one blinked, it was gone.

“You feel it,” Hush said quietly, not accusing. “The reminder.”

corbin   chuckled   as   he   heard   the   other   man's   words   about   how   waterfalls   tend   to   take   more   than   they   give.   “you   don't   have   to   worry   about   me   on   that   front.   i   do   love   a   nice   peaceful   waterfall,   but   i'm   definitely   not   going   to   push   my   luck.”   corbin   assures   with   a   cheeky   grin. 

Hush watched the grin settle on Corbin’s mouth and found himself answering it with the faintest curve of his own.

“Peaceful things can still drown a man,” he replied quietly, though there was no real warning in it - only habit. He had spent too long at the Wall, where even silence could turn violent without notice. The reassurance earned a small nod.

“I’ll trust your judgment, then. But if you start chasing the roar, I reserve the right to drag you back.”

The mention of healing drew a low huff from him, almost a laugh. “Bold of you to assume I step anywhere I don’t intend to,” he said, glancing down briefly at the playful pat on his arm before he lifted his gaze again. “But it’s comforting to know I’ll survive my mistakes.”

When Corbin tipped his head toward the party, Hush straightened slightly, offering his arm with quiet confidence. “If I let you lead, promise not to make a big deal of it?”

somehow,  this  conversation  had  made  him  wonder  if  more  veilbound  were  needed.  should  he  be  preparing  another  to  enter  a  new  chapter  in  his  life?  or  was  the  threat  finally  submerged  long  enough? 

the  question  itself  was  answered  in  his  own  mind.  there  would  always  be  one  threat  or  another  out  there.  those  bonded  to  the  veil  and  by  the  wall  would  always  have  a  purpose.  when  one  wave  died,  another  would  have  been  risen.  that  was  just  the  way  of  the  world  now.  a  common  thought  that  most  of  the  high  priests  or  kingdoms  shared.  they  depended  on  them  for  protection  against  the  mad  king,  still  to  this  day. 

"as  you  wish.  know  that  the  offer  still  stands." 

at  that  comment,  he  had  to  make  sure  to  hide  his  pride.  he  fought  back  a  smile  that  was  creeping  to  form  on  his  face.  instead,  he  just  nodded  slightly  and  took  another  sip  from  his  chalice. 

“it  comes  in  handy,  but  we  each  have  our  own  arsenal.”  as  did  the  other,  he  seized  him  up  with  a  slow  glance.  “you  have  magic  coursing  through  you  as  well  along  with  strength.” 

Somehow, the turn of the conversation made Hush’s thoughts drift further than the gentle hush of the dome allowed. It was easy, in moments like this - wine warm in his hand, crowns glittering just beyond reach - to wonder if the Veil would soon demand another soul bound to it. Another life steered onto a blood-dark road. The thought passed through him with practiced calm. There would always be something lurking beyond the next horizon, some embers yet to be extinguished from the Ashen War. The Wall did not stand because the world was at peace; it stood because peace was temporary. Those bound to the Veil existed for that simple truth, relied upon by priests and kings alike, still guarding against the Mad King’s shadow even now.

At Devansh’s words, Hush canted his head, the motion measured. He let the pride flicker and die before it could settle on his features, masking it behind another slow sip from the chalice.

“It does,” he said quietly, voice even, almost mild. “Magic has a way of smoothing the rough edges of the world.” His gaze followed Devansh’s in return, unhurried, assessing without challenge. “But it cannot touch every kind of edge.”

He lowered the cup, eyes sharp despite the calm in them. “Mine happens to cut in darker places - where steel and sight matter more than comfort.” A pause, then, softer, but no less certain. “You carry your own kind of power just as surely. Not strength needs to announce itself.”

“Hm,   well   in   that   case?   No,   I'm   not   chasing   literal   waterfalls.   And   no,   I'm   not   chasing   metaphorical   waterfalls.”   Corbin   responds   with   a   cheeky   grin   as   he   looks   at   the   other   man.   Corbin   was   ready   to   relax,   maybe   with   a   glass   of   wine,   and   just   truly   unwind.   Although   the   master   of   revels   supposed   that   he   really   should   stay   until   this   is   over,   he   doubted   very   many   people   would   notice   him   slipping   away. 

Corbin   watched   as   the   other   man's   hand   reached   out   and   touched   a   gold   wave   that   was   on   the   beautiful   outfit   he   was   wearing,   and   he   blushed   slightly   when   the   other   said   that   he   looked   divine.   Damn   his   vanity.   Complimenting   Corbin,   especially   on   his   looks,   was   always   the   best   way   to   get   him   to   fold   on   something. 

Hush’s mouth twitched at Corbin’s grin, something like amusement settling into the lines of his face even if his eyes stayed steady.

“Good,” he murmured, voice low enough to feel like a private thing between them.

“Waterfalls tend to take more than they give.” His fingers lingered just a moment longer on the gold wave, not quite possessive, not quite shy either, as if committing the feel of it to memory.

“Divinity can be dangerous,” he added, dry but not unkind. “People forget themselves around it.”

At the mention of a dance, Hush let out a quiet breath that might have been a laugh if he were someone else.

“A promise, then,” he said, inclining his head slightly, dark eyes flicking from Corbin’s flushed face to the brush of his hand at Hush’s wrist. “We endure the party and you teach me how to dance.”

“     whoa …     ”                ansegar  said,  craning  his  neck  back—so  far  back  that  he  almost  fell  over—as  he  tried  to  take  in  the  entirety  of  the  city  and  above  and  around  him,  his  expression  nearly  mirroring  the  scene  itself:  bright  and  awestruck  as  he  was  bathed  in  morning  light.

all  he  knows  about  the  conclave  of  crowns  came  from  stories  alone—tales  his  brothers  told  him;  the  housekeeper’s  rundown  of  the  festival’s  history,  which  he  had  clung  to  as  a  child;  the  new  arrivals  who  indulged  his  curiosity;  and  finally  the  scouts  who  brought  him  gifts  of  food  and  trinkets  from  the  event's  stalls.  for  a  time,  he  even  accepted  that  he  will  never  be  able  to  visit  the  sacred  event  in  his  lifetime,  and  all  he  had  to  live  through  are  his  imaginations.

…  and  to  his  surprise,  the  real  thing  was  even  better  than  anything  he  had  imagined.  the  realization  made  him  euphoric.

“     you’ve  never  brought  me  here  before,     ”      ansegar  said,  a  simple  statement  with  no  hint  of  sadness  or  disappointment.  he  knew  why  he  hadn’t  been  allowed  beyond  the  wall  until  he  was  old  enough—strong  enough—the  words  of  his  mother  and  the  truth  of  his  identity  still  ringing  in  his  ears.  still     …     it  would  have  been  nice  to  be  here  when  he  was  younger.

before  he  realized  it,  he  was  already  lagging  behind,  so  he  quickened  his  pace  to  catch  up.      “     so,  uh …  what  do  we  usually  do  here?     ”

   Could  his  eyes  roll  harder,  they  would've  tumbled  from  his  skull  and  bounced  across  the  cobblestone.  The  boy's  obsession  with  this  festival  escaped  him.  However,  it  wasn't  like  Hush  could  fault  Anse  for  being  curious  of  the  world  protected  by  the  Wall.  It  wasn't  until  he  became  a  man  that  he had  seen  anything  outside  of  Feranthor.  There  wasn't  much  he  could  do  about  Ansegar's  curiosity,  nor  would  he  want  to  change  him.  However,  this  obsession  only  became  more  consuming  once  the  Sentinel  discovered  his  origin.  Hush  made  him  promise  not  to  tell  anyone  in  the  city  before  they  arrived..

   "Were  it  my  decision,  you  would  still  be  at  the  Wall.  You  have  Feranthor’s Hand  to  thank  for  seeing  this  monument  to  disaster."

   It  was  his  decision,  but  his  Hand  had  quite  a  way  with  words...  and  guilt-tripping.  Perhaps  he  was  being  too  overprotective  of  a  grown  man,  free  to  make  his  own  decisions.  Viewing  Ansegar  as  someone  that  needed  to  be  hidden  and  protected  should  stop  but  old  habits  died  hard.  Even  more  difficult  to  forget  was  his  distaste  for  this  kingdom.

   “We  tolerate  the  nobility.  You  enjoy  yourself  while  you  can;  eat,  drink,  fuck -  just  stay  out  of  trouble.”

Thankfully,   social   gatherings   were   Corbin's   bread   and   butter.   He   absolutely   loved   social   events.   The   gossip.   The   fashion.   The   food.   Whether   he   was   hosting   or   attending.   Although   he'd   be   lying   if   he   said   that   he   didn't   love   hosting   a   little   bit   more   since   he   loves   seeing   people's   reactions   to   what   he   can   put   together.   A   grin   came   across   his   face   as   he   chuckles. 

“Hm,   depends.   Are   we   talking   metaphorically   or   literally?”   he   jested   back   with   a   chuckle.   Corbin   then   brushes   his   attire   and   hears   the   other   man's   instructions,   imprinting   Rambach   Lake   into   his   mind.   Maybe   he   could   get   someone   to   show   him   to   it?   If   there's   one   thing   he's   learned   in   the   past,   it's   that   it's   a   foolish   idea   to   depend   on   his   sense   of   navigation.   Or   lack   thereof,   to   be   frank. 

“I'm…   fairing   well.   Being   in   human   form   for   so   long   can   feel   odd.   Especially   with   such   cloths.”   He   sighs   as   he   looks   down   at   the   outfit.   A   beautiful   shade   of   blush   accented   with   gold.   “Just   would   like   a   chance   to   let   my   tail   out.   Will   probably   help   me   relax   for   a   bit.   Not   that   I   don't   love   these   affairs,"   he   quickly   tacked   on,   “just   figured   I   could   also   see   what   natural   beauties   this   place   has   to   offer   as   well   while   I'm   here.” 

“If  I  didn’t  mean  both,  I  would  have  been  more  specific.”

Hush  fixed  his  gaze  on  the  young  tidemade  master.  He  could  only  imagine  Corbin’s  need,  but  he  did  understand,  to  a  small  degree,  what  it  was  like  to  be  stuck  in  a  body  that  wasn’t  always  comfortable.

Hush  looked  at  the  outfit  after  the  master’s  clothing  was  mentioned.  Hush  was  in  all  black,  save  for  the  brass  hook  on  his  bracelet.  A  hand  reached  out  and  touched  one  of  the  gold  accents  on  the  other’s  outfit.  A  smile  was  brought  by  the  flirtation  and  his  hand  eventually  pulled  away.  Shame  he  wasn’t  invited  to  a  bath.

“You  have  the  entire  weekend.  You  look divine. Why not make the most of your night and go exploring in the morning?”

It was almost too easy to adapt. Hush wasn’t a nobleman, had no etiquette training or even a proper education. But he did learn to read and had always been fairly skilled at reading people.

“It would hardly be a party, if you left us for a dip tonight.”

    there  was  something  about  hush  that  was  alluring.  perhaps  it  was  the  fact  that  devansh  always  saw  him  as  a  stoic  force.  one  that  was  rarely  knocked  off  of  his  course.  even  as  he  clearly  was  casting  a  spell  around  them,  he  didn't  get  that  much  of  a  reaction.  what  did  he  have  to  do  to  get  that,  juggle  a  couple  of  fireballs? 

    not  that  he  was  only  there  to  drag  something  out  of  the  veilbound.  so  he  stood  to  his  side  of  the  area  and  just  smiled  softly  at  him.  licking  some  of  the  wine  from  his  lips.

    “a  solid  foundation  to  make  sure  they  don't  tip  into  the  abyss.  walking  a  fine  line.”  not  that  the  high  priest  was  going  to  start  question  hush.

    if  someone  were  to  tell  him  that  he  would  have  found  himself  lured  in  by  a  veilbound  from  feranthor,  he  wouldn't  believe  them.  yet,  devansh  was  able  to  relax  around  the  other.  he  didn't  let  his  guard  down,  but  there  was  something  about  him  that  made  him  feel  safe.  at  the  very  least,  made  him  feel  grounded.

    “there  are  always  some  tips  and  tricks  when  it  comes  to  dealing  with  crowds.  the  silence  spell,  for  example,  helps  regain  your  composure  before  going  into  the  middle  of  the  crowd  again.” 

He  need  not  be  reminded  how  close  to  destruction  he  existed  every  day.  Something  inside  him  refused  to  let  him  forget.  The  literal  shadow  that  clung  to  him  wouldn’t  let  anyone  else  forget  that  his  life  was  bound  to  that  fucking  tear  beyond  the  wall.

At  a  glance,  shadows  of  crooked,  claw-like  fingers  slowly  wrapped  over  his  right  shoulder  one-by-one;  it  seemed  possessive,  almost  -  like  a  lover  sending  a  subtle  hint.  But  there  were  no  digits.  In  the  immaculately-lit  room,  what  could  cast  a  shadow  in  such  a  way?  Blink,  or  look  away,  and  the  shady,  jagged  tendrils  curled  over  his  thick  traps  were  gone.  Or  had  they  even  been  there  at  all?

“Though  I  am  thankful  for  the  reprieve,  it  isn’t  necessary.”

The  word  “tricks”  echoed  in  the  whispers  like  a  discordant  trickling  of  rain  on  a  puddle.  Spells  and  rituals  cannot  solve  everything,  though  he  was  certain  the  man  may  not  agree.  Hush’s  lip  twitched.

“It  must  be  nice  to  have  such  a  powerful–.”  His  sentence  trailed  off  as  his  gaze  roamed  down  the  High  Priest’s  silhouette.  When  he  realized  he  hadn’t  finished,  Hush  added,  “Tool.”

BEETLEJUICE

Steely gray-blue eyes noticed the approach before Corbin Rosetide could surprise him with conversation. People were unavoidable at gatherings, perhaps a reason this was called a social event.

"Young Master Rosetide," he greeted with a subtle nod. The threat of a smile started to curl his lips.

"Chasing waterfalls?" He glanced around at the party. Was this not a scene where the young man should thrive?

"You'll have to make a trip out of the city for a lake. To the west - Rambach Lake, I think it is called."

His gaze narrowed as he quickly looked the other over in an attempt to assess his condition.

"If you're not well, maybe a bath and rest would do you well?"

having  been  to  several  of  these  in  his  life,  more  than  the  average  person  could  count,  devansh  already  knew  what  to  expect.  there  wasn't  going  to  be  anything  important  declared  in  the  near  future.  so  he  could  either  ask  hush  to  be  whisked  away  for  some  privacy,  or  grant  them  that  privilege  in  the  middle  of  the  crowd.  so  many  decisions,  so  few  hours  to  make  them  in. 

once  he  picked  up  on  the  flat  tone,  the  high  priest  deemed  it  necessary  to  provide  them  some  peace  and  quiet.  his  right  hand,  which  wasn't  grabbing  the  chalice,  moved  slightly  at  the  wrist.  back  and  forth,  to  the  side,  his  fingers  spanning  out  and  coming  together  in  various  symbols.  soon  enough,  a  cone  of  sound  went  around  them.  something  that  would  muffle  out  the  words  of  those  that  passed  by. 

even  though  it  would  grant  them  the  opportunity  of  not  having  to  shout  to  speak  to  one  another,  he  knew  that  someone  could  still  pierce  it.  he  just  muffled  the  noise,  so  they  can  stay  on  high  alert.  “that's  good  to  note.”  always  thinking  of  the  crown  first.

with  the  spell  taking  life  around  them,  he  brought  the  cup  back  up  to  his  lips  and  took  another  sip.  “i  trust  everything  in  feranthor  has  been  going  smoothly?”  the  high  priests  had  a  vested  interest  in  the  veilwatch,  but  most  importantly  in  the  veilbound.  it  was  their  magic  that  had  fused  into  them  after  all.  a  necessity  to  have  heightened  soldiers  come  about.  “hopefully  this  is  a  nice  break,  even  if  it  is  going  to  be  crowded.” 

His blue-gray gaze lowered to observe the High Priest's lips after they parted from the chalice and admired their color. The question earned the smallest of shrugs.

"Smooth as can be, stood at the edge of the abyss." There was a chitter in his ear that sounded like a giggle among the whispers.

Though he wasn't fond of most High Priests, this one always caused the Warden's hackles to raise. Devansh Arcanis. But why? Because the man barely looked a day older than the previous decade? There was something behind those beautiful, dark eyes - Hush just couldn't see it in that moment.

"I'll have to learn how to deal with crowds, I suppose. Seems this weekend will be quite educational... at least in that regard."