damned_institute | Day 28: Bus 1

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Day 28: Bus 1

Zelgadis was not happy, at all. Not that this was any change, but the events of the past few hours had given him more to angst about than usual. Nightshift had been dreadful: first he was attacked by a small green man and then covered in leeches, neither of which lead to warm fuzzy feelings.

And now this.

When the nurse had come into his room with new clothes he had a small glimmer of hope-- some thief had taken his normal Landel's wear in the night, so perhaps this was a change in luck. However, it was not the godsend he had hoped for. Minus the threat of sedation, there was nothing in the universe that could make Zelgadis wear a bright lemon-yellow shirt. There was a jacket of a slightly more tasteful variety, so Zelgadis made good us of it-- he put all his coupons in a pocket and pulled up the hood. It was almost as good as his cloak. Well, no it wasn't, but it would have to do.

With mild protesting, Zelgadis was lead to a large yellow vehicle. He climbed the stairs, took a seat towards the back, and readied himself for another frustrating day of being attacked and threatened with spoons.

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Shadow stared at the metal carriage and was amazed to see that there were no grel or horses in front of it. He didn't understand how it was supposed to move but the nurse assured him that it would and patted him on the back, pushing him onto the steps that lead into the compartment of the "buhs", which is what he supposed the great carriage was called.

He knew he probably shouldn't be surprised, not with the way the night had gone. Shadow was happy to have been warned about waking up in his own room. He would have been frightened if Valyn and Keman hadn't said something the night before. as it was, he was only mildly confused and bewildered at the amount of humans this place contained. Humans without collars. He didn't think he's really get used to the sight.

Shadow adjusted the green jacket they had given him and shifted, his canvas trousers (jeans the nurse had called them) feeling a bit on the tight side. The clothing he had to choose from was certainly strange but it was much more comfortable then the strange sleeping garments he'd been wearing the night before.

He spotted Valyn in a seat up front and smiled, relieved that seeing him alive wasn't at all a dream. He sat down next to the elf and snickered, his own outfit just as strange as the one Shadow wore. "Red is a nice color on you," he remarked.

"It is the color of my House," Valyn pointed out, with a small smile. He still hated the way his voice sounded - so rough and hoarse. He wondered if it would ever improve. At least the ugly wound and bandages were covered by the neck of the tunic.

It was nice, to see Shadow. Almost like it was, when they were never apart. He missed that.

"We aren't usually given anything other than the uniforms to wear," he added. He wanted to say something about last night, wanted to bring up a million things, but he couldn't. Not easily.

"Which would be why it suits you," Shadow grinned. "And they wear such strange clothing here. Look at this shirt! It's barely a proper tunic."

He pulled back his jacket to reveal a simple white t-shirt. "I don't feel as if I'm actually dressed. But the nurse assured me that I looked fine. 'Handsome' was the word she used. This is all so strange. Do you think the carriage will move? Is it magic?"

Shadow was trying to fill the time with idle conversation. He didn't want to blurt out the questions that were still on his mind. It would just make it awkward, especially since he remembered that Valyn didn't want to talk about how he had died or how he hadn't died. They were difficult questions and Shadow wasn't ready for that yet.

"Everything here is strange," he pointed out to his cousin. "The clothes, the machines, the food..." Valyn shook his head. "I've gotten used to it, I think. I've been here for a while. It's... strange." He didn't know what else to say.

"There doesn't seem to be magic here, so I assume it's a machine. Though how a machine can move without magic, I have no idea." He didn't understand machines all that well.

"It's funny though. Nothing's changed. Between us, I mean. All four of us. Though... Keman and I get on better than we did, I think. I'm starting to fear I've never going to get on well with Shana." He shook his head and sighed. "I just don't understand women."

"That's because you're too blunt with her," Shadow explained. "She's attracted to you. Anyone with eyes could see that. I know you don't return her feelings but you could be a bit nicer about it. She's not like the women in the harem. She's not about to seduce you with magic. I don't even think Shana knows how to seduce someone even if she tried. She just wants to be your friend without you snapping at her to leave you be."

Shadow had to smile at Valyn at his last comment. "It's true," he agreed. "You have never understood women. That's why you have me to show you what to do."

"I know she's attracted to me." Valyn paused. What to tell Shadow? Would it be best just to explain the situation? Despite the teasing remark, his cousin did tend to know how to handle women better. And if he could trust Keman with this, why not Shadow?

"It isn't that I don't return her feelings," he admitted, carefully, his voice blank. Because he did need advice here. "It's more complicated than that. I know I don't treat her as well as I should, but I'll be honest with you. When it comes to Shana, I'm extremely conflicted and confused. Shadow, I know you were just a baby when this happened, but have you heard of Serina Daeth?"

Shadow wrinkled his forehead, the question strange. He didn't know what a former member of Dyran's harem had to do with Shana. "She was Lord Dyran's favorite," he said. "I remember my mother mentioning her name in passing once. But, what connection does that woman have to Shana?"

"Serina Daeth was my father's favorite for years," Valyn explained. "I even remember her. She was his favorite since before I was born, and was still his favorite when I was five. When... another concubine tampered with her fertility drugs. And she got pregnant. And managed to escape." It wasn't something that was talked about opening. A pregnant concubine escaping? That sort of news had to be kept quiet.

"She escaped into the desert, nearly nine months pregnant. She was never found. She was a beautiful woman, from what I remember. Tall, fit. She had thick red hair like I've never seen on another woman." He paused and glanced out the window, his voice still blank. "Other than Shana."

Shadow blinked, trying to catch the hidden meaning in Valyn's story. "So you believe that Shana is Serina Daeth's daughter which would make her father..."

It clicked and suddenly everything made sense. The way Valyn always avoided being caught alone with Shana. The way he would look uneasy whenever he gaze became adoring. Ancestors, even the hand fasting took on a different meaning beyond tying the two groups together. "Val," Shadow breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. "If you believe that Shana is your sister then you should tell her. Sh has a right to know who her family is. Why have you kept it a secre all this time?"

"I can't." He was still looking out the window. "Ancestors, Shadow, I can't. She doesn't need to know who her family is when her family's that beast!" No one deserved to have Dyran as a father. No one. He couldn't put that burden on Shana's shoulders.

"And besides that, I don't have any proof. Another elven lord could have been her father, it may not matter to her, she might not believe me..." He leaned his head against the window. "But I do know things can't go on like this. She's already thrown one jealous fit, we've been fighting constantly...." Ancestors, why was this so complicated.

"What do I do?"

"But her family isn't your father," Shadow reasoned. "Your father could barely be called your own family. The only thing that ties you is blood. I'm your family. Just like you're mine. And yes, I realize the fact that we are cousins but that's besides the point. I think you need to tell her what you suspect."

Shadow could feel that Valyn was reluctant to share any of this with Shana. It was a lot to take and Shadow could only imagine Shana's expression if he did indeed tell her they were related. "If you don't want to tell her... then the least you can do is take her aside and let her down gently. Tell her she's a beautiful girl but with everything that has happened you'd be more comfortable being friends. If she still demands a reason say that you're in love with an elven girl back home. And if you're truly desperate... you could always say something about... well, us."

"But he is her blood," Valyn pointed out. "And the rest of the family isn't exactly something to be proud of, either. We Hernalths aren't really that prize of a bunch." It was sad, but true. "And you don't count. It's different, with you." Damn, why did Shadow have to tell him the same things Keman had?

"I don't know how. I've never let a woman down in my life." It was easier just to give them what they wanted. "Maybe I should tell her about us. Keman already knows, or at least suspects. It's all terribly unfair to her, I think. I do find her attractive and she does mean a great deal to me. But, ancestors, if.... if things were different.... But I can't take the risk."

In an oddly human gesture - picked up from the people Valyn spent his time around - he pressed the heel of his hand between his eyes and rested his head in his hand.

"Before Keman knew all this, he suggested I marry her."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Shadow snorted, a bit of his own jealousy showing. "That's a bit extreme. It's one thing to sleep with her it's another to marry her. Even if you weren't related. Would you make her the lady of your household? Do you really think that Shana would like that role?"

Shadow stopped himself before he continued, feeling as though he was going too far. "Thankfully that's all hypothetical. I think we're all just taking this out of context. Shana just needs to be spoken too, that's all. If you don't feel comfortable speaking with her then I can tell her. I can let her know gently. I have a knack for talking with women."

"For political reasons," Valyn pointed out. "To get the Council to accept an alliance with the Citadel, I do need to marry a halfblood girl. And Shana is the best candidate - though I agree she'd be a horrible Lady. Though I'd pay a bit of gold to see the other lady's of council Houses in a room with her." He chuckled some, at the thought.

"No. No, I think Shana would lose what little respect she had for me if I sent you to do my dirty work. I will speak with her, I just want this to proceed without a fight. Or me doing anything foolish that lands me in a situation I'm not comfortable with." He raked back his hair. "This all really would be much easier if she'd just fallen in love with you."

Shadow sat back in the seat, crossing his arms over his chest. He was battling conflicting emotions. Sure, Shana was a wonderful girl who was very attractive. He'd even thought about what it would be like to sleep with her but to hear Valyn say that he wished that she would have fallen in love with him just made Mero irritable. It had made him irritable back in the forest and things hadn't changed it seemed.

"Do you really mean that?" he asked softly, looking off over the other seats. "Because I could try this time. Really try to turn her affection off of you. I didn't before because it seemed ridiculous and unnecessary but if you're worried that you may end up doing something you regret I could see if I could seduce her."

"Shadow, I don't mean I want her in love with you," he said, sighing. "Just that it would honestly be easier. You do like her, and I know you find her attractive. And...so do I, but at least with you, it wouldn't be a complete disaster if something happened and she ended up pregnant."

He was just being logical. He knew Shadow didn't want to hear it, but that was how things were.

"And I'm worried Shana won't take no for an answer, and will physically press me. Ancestors knows I'm not very good at getting myself out of those situations. And there's a part of me that doesn't want to rule out the possibility of that sort of situation. Much as it makes the other part of me's skin crawl. You see what I mean when I said it was more complicated than me simply not returning her feelings."

"Physically press you?" Shadow laughed. "She's not Triana, Val. She's Shana. And yes I find her very pretty but Ancestors, I don't think her winding up pregnant is any large concern. Especially not with Keman around. An enraged Dragon breathing down my neck is not something I'd be looking forward to."

Shadow shook his head at himself. "We're talking about Shana as if she was a mindless girl. Perhaps we should ask her what she wants. Maybe then we can figure out the best way to go about fixing the situation."

"No, but she's a very strong willed woman who knows what she wants," Valyn countered. "And how in the name of the gods and demons are we supposed to keep her from getting pregnant? I don't know contraceptive spells. And in case you hadn't noticed, we Hernalths are very fertile." He'd never bothered to learn those spells, having never thought he'd need them.

"She isn't a mindless girl, but it's very clear these are matters she isn't experienced in. And we know what she wants - she wants me!"

"And do you plan on bedding her?" Shadow asked pointedly. "Because despite all of your protesting you seem to have thought quite a bit about how you would keep her from becoming pregnant. Just because a girl wants you does not mean you should bed them. A lot of girls want you, Val. You just don't notice it."

"Yes," Valyn admitted, stonily. "I've thought about taking her to bed. Would have, already, if not for the chance that she could be my sister. I'm not planning on it, but I can't deny that I've thought about it."

"Then you should," Shadow replied, trying to sound just as detached though he wasn't as good at it as Valyn. "You only suspect that she's your sister and you don't want to tell her so why burden her with the truth? It may not be true anyway. This could all just be a misunderstanding. Besides, I am certain that as long as you do not produce an heir then there will be nothing to worry about. And if this place can produce horseless carriages then I believe there must be some form of contraception.

We're stuck here, aren't we? Stuck without any real chance of escaping. You said so yourself last night that it's practically hopeless. So, what would be the harm?"

This was not the conversation he had been expecting to have with Valyn. The first thing Shadow had thought of doing with the elf if he ever saw him alive again was not discussing how he should or should not sleep with Shana. It was angering him even though he knew it shouldn't.

"Here and now is hardly the time or place to be worried about that, anyway," Valyn pointed out. He glanced over at his cousin, an unreadable expression on his face. Was Shadow jealous? There was no reason to be. It wasn't as though he was in love with Shana.

"We do have a chance of escaping. I'm not going to lie and say it's going to be easy, but we will get out of this place. Shadow.... I can't stay here. I have too much to do in the wake of my father's death. And the longer I'm here, the further things are going to spiral out of control. And I'd wager the same goes for you and Shana and the Citadel." He smiled just a bit. "From what I remember, the two of you seemed to take to leading the charges rather well."

He cleared his throat and cautiously, almost awkwardly, placed a hand on Shadow's knee.

"You know you have no reason to be jealous," he said, quietly. "I don't... what I feel for you...." That was as far as he could get before everything shut down and his teeth clicked shut. Ancestors, why couldn't he just say the words?

Shadow put his hand over Valyn's and squeezed it. He knew the elf was trying and it was enough to snap him out of whatever was rushing through his head. "Don't, Val. I know. I'm not jealous... not really. It's just... "

He looked over at Valyn and suddenly everything he had wanted to say came pouring out in one heated rush. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to confront your father? You just disappeared and suddenly, out of nowhere, there was an explosion and you... you vanished. I couldn't feel you anymore. You were just gone. I know you say you didn't die but that wasn't what it felt like. That wasn't what it looked like either. There was nothing left. And then to have to hear it from Zed that you left to see Dyran... You didn't even tell me goodbye."

Shadow's voice broke and he had to look away. They were on a bus surrounded by strangers and he was on the verge of crying. Ancestors he needed to pull it together. "And now it's business as usual and you're talking about marrying Shana to create a strong bond between halfbloods. Well, I hate to tell you that it will be much harder then you think. She's been exiled from the Citadel. The elves want her dead. Even if we do go back... we're outsiders again."

"Keman's the one talking about marrying Shana, not me," Valyn pointed out, gently. But he knew it wasn't going to distract Shadow from the topic at hand. he sighed and shrugged.

"And don't worry about politics right now. We'll fix that when we get home." There were ways. As for the rest....

"I knew if I told you, you'd try and talk me out of it. And I'm sorry, but there was no other choice. I knew my father. I knew what he was thinking, I knew how to deal with him. And I knew that I was more powerful than him, and knew his magic well enough to use it against him if it came to that. Something needed to be done, so I did it." He turned his hand over, threading his fingers through Shadow's.

"And I didn't say goodbye because I wasn't intending on taking so long to get back to you."

"Put yourself in my place," Shadow said softly, looking down at their hands. "If my presence just disappeared and there was nothing but a hole left... would you have been patient for me to return? Or would you have assumed the worse and wonder why I hadn't discussed it with you first? You're right, I would have tried to talk you out of it. But I also know that you're stubborn enough to somehow win the argument. I at least would have liked to have been a part of that conversation."

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