reckless_but_loyal | Night 1, Locked to Clarine

[ Hector's more than just a little shaken up after the execution. That was... Horrifying isn't a strong enough word for it. He feels ill and unclean and... just incredibly tired.

But he can't falter now. He has to stay strong, he has to return to Ostia, he still needs to take up the mantle his brother left for him. He can't afford to die here, too much is counting on him.

Like a daughter he hasn't even fathered yet, according to Clarine. Maybe that means he really can't die here, he doesn't really know and he doesn't really want to think about it, not right now. Right now, he needs to just focus on making it through one day at a time and protecting as many lives as he can.

But which lives? There's a rat among the group, that's already clear, and somewhere here also hides a wolf. No, wolf is too kind. This General is nothing more than a mad dog, and Hector swears to himself that he'll see him put down personally. He'll pay for the cruelty he's visited, the unforgivable horror he showed them there. He'll pay in blood and--

No, focus, focus, Marquess Ostia can't afford to be ruled by his temper. He might be furious, but he has to focus it into something productive. Vengeance can come later, for now he needs to recover, stay strong, build a base of people he can trust.

He'll start with Clarine. She recognized him, he knows her parents, she's closer to being one of his people than anyone here.

And maybe he's kind of concerned for her for its own sake. If this is this hard on him, he can't imagine what it's like for a girl like her.

He gently sets a hand on her shoulder. ]

Clarine.

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[She starts.

It's odd that she didn't hear Hector approach, but she's admittedly out of it; her face was pressed into her legs, even as her arms were wrapped around them. She's not crying anymore, but it's a near thing--when he touches her shoulder, she jumps, lifting reddened but otherwise clear eyes to look at him.]

...Lord Hector...

[She clears her throat.]

F-forgive me... I am not in any state to... to properly be seen--

[At least she has some manners when she's not being a brat.

And she's too tired, too frightened, too everything to put up a front. Three people are dead, and she no longer knows what she should think anymore. This isn't a battlefield. These are innocent people...dying in cruel ways.]

[ Hector lets out a small sigh as he kneels down next to her, wrapping his cape around her shoulders. It's for warmth, okay, don't read too much into it! ]

I'm not known for being proper.

[ Ok, where to go from here? Asking if she's okay would be idiotic, asking if she's seen death before would be insensitive and that was hardly normal death at work in there anyway. ]

...Do you need anything?

[She almost laughs at that, a quiet, choked noise. And her fingers bury themselves into the cloak that he draped around her shoulders. It's not exactly comfortable on this island, especially in her clothing; she appreciates it, even if she does not say so.]

No... please do not single me out. I am aware of--of how I come across, and of my heritage, but nonetheless, I have fought. I am a soldier as well, and I do not... do not need to be coddled.

[Or at least, that's what she keeps telling herself, even if she'd really like nothing more than to go home and be hugged by her mother.]

Then you know as well as I do that was no war in there. She called it a hunt, but it's not that, either. It was cruel and senseless, and nothing any of us should've seen, spoiled lady or hardened warrior.

[ The rage that fueled him earlier is gone from Hector's voice, leaving only cold disgust and contempt. He won't forget what happened here tonight, and he definitely won't ever forgive it. ]

...It's not over yet, either. Can you still fight?

[ He's missing his axe, but he can make do with his fists, while Clarine looks like she's probably some sort of caster; she's probably useless in a fight if she doesn't have a tome or stave on her. ]

That... t-that is true. That was... [The slaughter of innocents, really... but all she can is shake her head mutely, still horrified by what she had seen. If she thinks too hard about it, she may be sick, and that would be bad for everyone.

So she takes a slow, unsteady breath, focusing on his question. Wow, how did you recognize the incredibly obvious class cues!!]

I... am a healer, first and foremost. While I am capable of magic, here I do not have my tomes... [so no not really]

Then you'd best stay close to me. I'm not about to tell your parents that I stood by while a madman hunted down their daughter.

[ Even if they haven't actually had said daughter yet. ]

[... She's touched, she honestly is, and for a moment she ducks her head to hide her expression (and the fact that she feels like crying again, except this time more out of....relief? The sort of relief that comes of knowing that someone else cares if you live or die).]

Not a single soul would...would ever expect that you would do such a thing. [Clarine may be a royal brat, but...even she knows the stories about Hector and his bravery and how he took care of his friends.]

But I do not wish to simply be-- be dead weight! I wish to do something as well to help, and so...! [...

But despite all of her enthusiasm, she slumps again a moment later.]

But even so, I do not believe I entirely understand this..."game".

[ Not a single soul, huh? Either she's talking him up or his reputation's due to improve in the next couple of decades. ]

Our foe is hiding among us. One of our castaways is nothing of the sort. Our aim is to find the liar and choose him for execution before he hunts down the lot of us. To do that, we must first determine who is trustworthy.

...I'm not the most charismatic man. Like as not, there are many who will suspect me. A girl like you will have an easier time gaining people's trust and seeing who can be trusted in turn. The fewer people we have to suspect, the better our chances of finding the General will be.

What...!

[~~do u really think she's charismatic--~~

Obviously, she's troubled by this, though.]

Lord Hector, you must not say such things...! N-naturally, I will do what I can to learn who we can trust but... but you must do your best to not seem suspicious as well! It is dangerous...

And how should I seem less suspicious? I'm stronger than most, and I won't cower in fear of the General or anyone else on this island, nor will I shed any tears for the deaths of strangers. Any of those could give people cause to doubt me, and I can hardly change that.

[ And that's not even mentioning things like his arena fighting habit, or his actual fucking class in FE6 being General. Please do not mention that last little detail to anyone, Clarine. ]

Don't worry, I doubt I'll be the first person everyone looks toward. But I won't be the first they trust, either. That's why I need you to take care of that.

[WELL YEAH THERE IS THAT AS WELL........don't worry Hector she won't tell, your class is a secret safe with her.]

I... I understand what you are saying. [She's not sure she's ready for this--her role at court had always been to sit there and look pretty while her father, brother and mother took care of the heavy lifting (and even to Clarine, that had always seemed supremely unfair), but... she has no choice now. Neither of them does.

If they don't want to die, murdered in the night by a cowardly General...

She takes a deep breath, and straightens her shoulders, lifting her chin.]

I will do what I can to convince the others that we can be trusted. Please...count on me.

Night 1, Locked to Clarine

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