felt the barbs of his pitchfork pressing up against my soul [closed]

[inferus]

WHO: Wrath + Closed logs w/ Emilia and later Five + let me know if you want stuff for traveling times
WHEN: After the beacon + rest of January as needed
WHERE: Taravast/traveling.
WHAT: Returning from canon update into Taravast. Plus travel shenanigans later.
WARNINGS: Talks about Hell most likely along with some Taravast discussion.

Comments

[valeas]

It is for the best, really, that Wrath was the one who held the private audience with Bonaccorso and not Emilia. Her own conversation with Macaluso was ... strange, erratic. It left her with the most disquieting feeling.

She hadn't thought of it again, until now. The block in her memories wouldn't have allowed her to do so.

"And what did he say of our fair Merchant?"

She decides to indulge this curiosity, despite the fact Bonaccorso's words will be met with the same skepticism she employs for most everything else. There is no trusting those who have their own agenda here. Had. RIP Bonaccorso.

[inferus]

There's a near smirk when Emilia refers to him as such 'our fair Merchant'.

"He laughed when I referred to him as such as if the very name was amusing to him," Wrath says in answer and then shakes his head. He does not trust Bonaccarso either at all. None of them should, but he had little reason to lie in the end- little benefit to come from it except perhaps sewing doubt. "He said he doubted I would listen to his warnings against him, but that the Merchant was a man who was ruled by vengeance."

There's a deep sigh then before he cocks his head to one side, stretching out his muscled shoulder. At times, his titles (the devil itself is more complicated, but the rest) become useful, because then mortals do not bother to explain to him what he already knows far better than any of them could hope to.

"...and that men of vengeance do not have clear sights."

[valeas]

Arms folded across her chest, Emilia half-turns to him.

The silence speaks for itself.

He would agree with Bonaccorso, though the thought would leave a bitter taste in his mouth, she thinks. It was Wrath who told her vengeance was a poison, a slow death of self. Wrath who told her to seek her justice and her truth, but to not lose her soul. She doesn't believe that they need be mutually exclusive. She will have her way in the end.

"Bonaccorso and his chose to sell out Ellethia alongside the others to secure Taravast. He did so mercilessly among other crimes. I would be more surprised if the Merchant did not have a bone to pick about it."

She doesn't have to trust the Merchant to understand the drive.

[inferus]

Wrath meets her gaze when she half-turns, understanding why this particular subject is one she relates to. They did speak of the cost of vengeance. He can only know it because he has experienced it for himself, because he gave into his own revenge a long time ago.

And many suffered for it, including himself. He doesn't want her to have to suffer any more even knowing it is inevitable. It is her choice to make, and she's made it if she has gone after the mirror.

"The way Bonaccorso spoke of it seemed to imply revenge was a motive beyond Taravast and those who sold out Ellethia." Like it may be the Merchant's main motivation in all he does. "It is clearly all tied to the Undead in some manner. I do not believe either of us are surprised about that."

It appears to be his motivation for everything, but Wrath would not be surprised if he had other motivations beyond that. Most people do. He would hope the Merchant would be smart enough to not reveal his motivations in their entirety. Then again, this group is so limited in its power that they are merely pawns regardless of what the Merchant chooses to share with them.

[valeas]

"No," Emilia answers after a weighted moment. "I'm not."

She can't really begrudge him the attempt either, in some ways. She herself sees a weapon in everything lately. A tool to utilize to her advantage. The way she prepares herself for setbacks is to assume others can see it, too.

It comes back to that ever-present need to right a terrible wrong. It led her straight into the jaws of hell. It led her to betray him. She thinks of that in the silence that follows: that he has every reason to mistrust her and mistrust her words. She should wait until they have their power situation sorted out, so he can sense the truth in her words.

But he deserves them now, whether he believes her or not.

"I meant what I said that night."

'That night' except for him it was mere hours ago.

[inferus]

Wrath's armor has returned. The walls are back as firm as ever, and so when she speaks, he does not respond outwardly. The truth is he knows she meant what she said that night. He had his powers then in the evening, and there was no lie within the words she gave to him.

However, in the end, they made the correct decision in not going further, in not half consummating their marriage. Because it was clear she was not ready to do so. They were aware of that much that evening, and yet he still was not prepared for her actions and betrayal in his moment of vulnerability. He did not expect to wake from his drugged slumber to the realization she was in Pride's circle (which she would need an invitation from him to enter whatever her reasons).

"You do not have to explain."

Any of it. Regardless of what she said, her actions delivered an alternative message- he believes both can be true, but that does not prevent the pain of the betrayal nor how it left him feeling in the aftermath. He would prefer not to discuss it. His jaw tightens, and he stares at her with dark-gold gaze.

"However, with our return to this world once more, I hope you would afford me some measure of trust."

[valeas]

She wants to afford him more than that.

Wants to give him, in truth, more than her trust.

There are pieces to this story he has yet to live, however, and — how strange that their roles should be reversed to that end. It wouldn't ultimately change anything, would it? Her sister was desecrated. Emilia will not take that a step further and desecrate what's left of her memory by allowing, for even a moment, anything else to supersede the goal of avenging her.

Wrath doesn't care for words, besides. He cares for action. With that in mind, she merely nods and decides to let her future actions speak for themselves. Decides she will afford them both enough respect to keep from false sentimentality.

She did what she did and she would do it again. Thus...

"Will that same measure of trust be reciprocated?"

[inferus]

Wrath senses the way she simply nods in acceptance of it, and he appreciates it. She knows him now - more than he has let most know him. Her words were truthful, but her actions mean the most to him always, and he still does not know what to make of it.

The question gives him pause. He wants to answer Yes. He wants nothing more than the two of them to work together against all the forces which have threatened them, which have hurt them. However, he is still reeling and uncertain about what happened within Hell and why it happened.

"...when it comes to matters here, yes."

They are still on shaky ground within Hell itself. He doesn't know why she went to see Pride, why she would want him asleep for that. He does not realize what she risked to simply learn more of him, to have that confirmation.

"I trust no one else as I trust you."

[valeas]

Matters here.

By necessity, more than anything else. The caveat is well perceived, and echoes her own conditions upon arriving to Taravast. It's not a pleasant feeling to find herself on the other side of it, though it's no less deserved.

Understandable, too, for all that she is unfairly wounded for it. She can no longer claim ignorance for why he is this way. She marched through those yawning gates and submitted herself to unspeakable horrors with grim defiance.

Learned all the brutal shades of the world he rules. The world she will rule.

"I don't know if that says more about me or you."

[inferus]

There is a ghost of a thin smile upon his face.

It is gone as quickly as it appears - too fleeting to be pointed out, but her words amuse him, genuinely, despite the nature of their circumstances. He far prefers when the trust between them can go deeper, but he is not ready yet even though he understands why she has never been able to give herself fully to him.

He would not want her to until she was ready.

"I believe it says an equal amount about us both"

They are well suited (enough) to rule Hell together for a reason, and whatever occurred in that bedroom, there is no one else he would rather face this world with than her.