It was a clear dismissal. Vanyel bowed once again, and they quickly exited the chamber.
“I don’t know whether to be terrified or infuriated. Stef, what got into you?” he asked as soon as they were alone.
“Me? I can’t believe you were going to just let them send us on our way without even asking for their help!”
Vanyel huffed a laugh. “If you knew anything about the kyree, then you'd know we’ve already received more than we could have hoped for. They’re notoriously insular Stefen, and besides that, for all their intelligence, they’re not human. They don’t share human values or possess the same sense of honor—for them, it’s perfectly logical to let us go off and fight this battle for them.”
“It may be logical, but it’s terribly shortsighted. I was right back there, wasn’t I?” Stefen was almost pleading, clearly not as confident as he had seemed back in the council chamber.
Vanyel pulled him into an embrace. “Yes,” he reassured him. “And I think you used the best arguments you could—logic would have a better chance at swaying them than impassioned pleas. It only remains to be seen if they think the risk of exposure and victory outweighs the benefits of staying hidden.”
“There’s no benefit to staying hidden,” Stefen groused. “No one can hide forever. And why would anyone want to?”
“Going to war is a very different matter for them. For us—Valdemar—if the Grand Council decide to go to war, it’s mostly abstract. Just markers on a map, lists and figures. But for a clan like this, there’s a very real possibility that everyone could lose someone they know. Someone they love.”
“That’s still being shortsighted,” Stefen complained.
Vanyel couldn’t help it, he smiled. “I know, love.” He reluctantly pulled out of the embrace. “Come on. I want you to go over everything that happened between the ambush and when you found me. Whether the kyree agree to offer assistance or not, we have to go forward with this mission.”
“Van,” Stefen said, biting his lip. “I know you said that dream was Foresight, but, is there really no way around it?”
:There could be,: Yfandes said.
“How? I know I’m not much use in this situation, but if I can do anything….” Stefen trailed off.
:I think you can, Bard. Look, Vanyel. The one thing that remains constant in the dream is that you’re not alone in the beginning of it. Once we find the mountain pass you always send me and Stefen off to the guard outpost while you stay behind to buy us time. What if Stefen and I left now while you continue north and try to find the pass?:
Vanyel started to protest, but Yfandes persisted. :No, hear me out. There’s bound to be a mage node, or at least a leyline available for you to tap into and boost your Mindspeech so we can stay in contact, and you can give me directions to where you are. Even though an armed force will by necessity travel slower than a lone Companion and rider, odds are by the time you find that pass, we’ll be close enough that you won’t have to call Final Strike to defeat him.:
Vanyel held his breath, thinking, trying to find flaws in the plan.
There were none. Even if there weren’t any nodes or leylines for him to tap, or he didn’t dare use magic, he could still leave completely ordinary signs for Yfandes to follow. He was a competent enough woodsman to make the journey alone.
And especially if the kyree did see fit to offer aid in defeating the enemy….
“That…could work,” Vanyel said, breathlessly, feeling hope bloom in his chest. He looked at Stefen, at the hope in his face. “It just might be enough to change the outcome.”
“You had just better not be trying to get me out of the way, Vanyel, or—“
“No, ‘Fandes is right. You’re always with me in the beginning, and I send the both of you off to get help, every time. And even if I can’t stay in touch with Mindspeech, I can still always leave signs for you to follow. It might still not be enough, but—“
“At least you’re trying,” Stefen said with relief. He pulled Vanyel into another embrace. He sniffed, and Vanyel inexplicably found himself near tears, too. “Ashke,” he murmured.
“If this is really what you think can help, then I’ll do it. You had just better stay alive, Vanyel, I mean it.”
“I’ll do my best, Stef. I don’t actually want to die, you know.” Not anymore. Gods, no, not anymore. He finally had something to live for, after all.
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Fill, 3/? Vanyel, gen, Magic's Price Fix-It
Date: 2015-08-20 09:24 pm (UTC)It was a clear dismissal. Vanyel bowed once again, and they quickly exited the chamber.
“I don’t know whether to be terrified or infuriated. Stef, what got into you?” he asked as soon as they were alone.
“Me? I can’t believe you were going to just let them send us on our way without even asking for their help!”
Vanyel huffed a laugh. “If you knew anything about the kyree, then you'd know we’ve already received more than we could have hoped for. They’re notoriously insular Stefen, and besides that, for all their intelligence, they’re not human. They don’t share human values or possess the same sense of honor—for them, it’s perfectly logical to let us go off and fight this battle for them.”
“It may be logical, but it’s terribly shortsighted. I was right back there, wasn’t I?” Stefen was almost pleading, clearly not as confident as he had seemed back in the council chamber.
Vanyel pulled him into an embrace. “Yes,” he reassured him. “And I think you used the best arguments you could—logic would have a better chance at swaying them than impassioned pleas. It only remains to be seen if they think the risk of exposure and victory outweighs the benefits of staying hidden.”
“There’s no benefit to staying hidden,” Stefen groused. “No one can hide forever. And why would anyone want to?”
“Going to war is a very different matter for them. For us—Valdemar—if the Grand Council decide to go to war, it’s mostly abstract. Just markers on a map, lists and figures. But for a clan like this, there’s a very real possibility that everyone could lose someone they know. Someone they love.”
“That’s still being shortsighted,” Stefen complained.
Vanyel couldn’t help it, he smiled. “I know, love.” He reluctantly pulled out of the embrace. “Come on. I want you to go over everything that happened between the ambush and when you found me. Whether the kyree agree to offer assistance or not, we have to go forward with this mission.”
“Van,” Stefen said, biting his lip. “I know you said that dream was Foresight, but, is there really no way around it?”
:There could be,: Yfandes said.
“How? I know I’m not much use in this situation, but if I can do anything….” Stefen trailed off.
:I think you can, Bard. Look, Vanyel. The one thing that remains constant in the dream is that you’re not alone in the beginning of it. Once we find the mountain pass you always send me and Stefen off to the guard outpost while you stay behind to buy us time. What if Stefen and I left now while you continue north and try to find the pass?:
Vanyel started to protest, but Yfandes persisted. :No, hear me out. There’s bound to be a mage node, or at least a leyline available for you to tap into and boost your Mindspeech so we can stay in contact, and you can give me directions to where you are. Even though an armed force will by necessity travel slower than a lone Companion and rider, odds are by the time you find that pass, we’ll be close enough that you won’t have to call Final Strike to defeat him.:
Vanyel held his breath, thinking, trying to find flaws in the plan.
There were none. Even if there weren’t any nodes or leylines for him to tap, or he didn’t dare use magic, he could still leave completely ordinary signs for Yfandes to follow. He was a competent enough woodsman to make the journey alone.
And especially if the kyree did see fit to offer aid in defeating the enemy….
“That…could work,” Vanyel said, breathlessly, feeling hope bloom in his chest. He looked at Stefen, at the hope in his face. “It just might be enough to change the outcome.”
“You had just better not be trying to get me out of the way, Vanyel, or—“
“No, ‘Fandes is right. You’re always with me in the beginning, and I send the both of you off to get help, every time. And even if I can’t stay in touch with Mindspeech, I can still always leave signs for you to follow. It might still not be enough, but—“
“At least you’re trying,” Stefen said with relief. He pulled Vanyel into another embrace. He sniffed, and Vanyel inexplicably found himself near tears, too. “Ashke,” he murmured.
“If this is really what you think can help, then I’ll do it. You had just better stay alive, Vanyel, I mean it.”
“I’ll do my best, Stef. I don’t actually want to die, you know.” Not anymore. Gods, no, not anymore. He finally had something to live for, after all.