TLV: IC Contact

[sixfeetofdirt]

Careful; I bite.

Comments

[ravenswrath]

"I haven't. Maybe twenty years ago, it would have appealed to me, but I'm too old for that now."

And he doesn't think it would be fair. He'd rather run drills on his own.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Likewise. I'd much rather have my own company in that place, anyway. And whatever gets summoned for me to kill, of course."

[ravenswrath]

"You and I have the same mind about it. That ship is too small. I don't care if it isn't real." He leads him idly through the streets, no real destination in mind. "What do you usually hunt?"

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Oh, creatures from home - goblins, gnolls, bugbears. What about you?"

[ravenswrath]

"Men," he answers casually. "We don't have worse monsters than that. Sometimes I wonder if I should spawn a river and just possess a hagfish, though. Wait for some unsuspecting person to put their foot in and bite them."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"That...strikes me as being a lot of time spent as a hagfish for a rather ambiguous reward," Astarion ventures.

[ravenswrath]

"I like being a fish," he admits. "The reward isn't simply the attack."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"You....like being a fish?" Astarion pulls a face at him. "Why?"

[ravenswrath]

"Because you can move in any direction," he explains with a grin. "And because no one expects a fish to be anything more than...a fish."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I've enjoyed flying for the same reason," Astarion agrees. "That freedom of movement. Though I can't do it without a potion from home, more's the pity."

[ravenswrath]

"Have you asked for one?"

He knows the answer, but you have to ask for what you want!!

[sixfeetofdirt]

"No. Truly, until just now the thought didn't even occur to me."

He's had other, worse things on his mind!

[ravenswrath]

"Richter has his faults, but he does give me everything I ask for. If your warden says no, I can try mine," he offers, trying to be helpful.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"I may take you up on that," Astarion says, then pauses, thoughtful. "How long have you been assigned to him?"

[ravenswrath]

He thinks back. "Two floods and a breach ago," he finally decides.

"Not everyone counts time the same."

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion nods, sanguine.

"What does he consider to be 'wardening'?"

[ravenswrath]

Corvo hums a little as he considers.

"We haven't discussed it. He hasn't read my file and I don't think he intends to. He tries to catch me in inconsistencies, challenge what I'm thinking. But I believe he trusts I won't harm anyone unless they deserve it, so he gives me a long leash."

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Hm. Did you ask him not to read your file, or - well, I'm fairly sure he can read."

[ravenswrath]

"No. I didnt care one way or another." Corvo is a private man, but he understands the inevitability of secrets getting out. "He would rather get it out of me piece by piece, I think."

[sixfeetofdirt]

Astarion chuckles, quiet and grim.

"Hells, that's exactly why I allowed my warden to read my file. Not that he's ever really mentioned it since."

[ravenswrath]

"He hasn't? Then what is the point of them?"

He wouldn't just as rather they didn't exist.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"One more thing for insecure wardens to hold over the heads of their inmates?"

Astarion shrugs.

"Your guess is as good as mine, darling."

[ravenswrath]

"Do you - like your warden? What sort of wardening does he do if he doesn't mention your file?" he wonders.

[sixfeetofdirt]

"Mostly we either have pleasant conversations about nothing or we argue about my life choices," Astarion says, shrugging again, bigger this time. "I'm not sure what part of it constitutes 'wardening'."

[ravenswrath]

"Is graduating something you want?"

He knows there are inmates who don't care. He was one of them, for a while.