Archeval, Darth Imperius (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
darkeststars) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
westwhere2021-05-23 10:44 pm
darkeststars) wrote in westwhere2021-05-23 10:44 pm
Entry tags:
the promised distraction.
WHO: Archeval, Eleven
WHEN: May 24th, shortly after Lan Wangji's announcement.
WHERE: Around the farm.
WHAT: He promised he'd try to keep certain people out of the way of the cleanup, and he knows where to find exactly one of them, so...
WARNINGS: Frank discussion of death, maybe. Arche being an asshole, probably.
The farmland they're staying on is a fairly expansive place, but if Archeval opens his senses to the brush of minds around him for a little while, he's more than familiar enough with Eleven's to zero in on the one presence who's consistently been somewhere nearby since day one of this whole ordeal. He turns his attention away from the quartz for now as he heads over to find where El has gotten off to, closing in quietly to simply watch for a little while, not quite sure what he should even say. Something... something comforting? He feels like normal people would probably say something comforting. But death simply is what it is, one of the normal facts of living. He's been giving it the finger for twenty-three years, but many beings of his acquaintance haven't been so lucky. He's seen far too much of it for the idea to shock anymore. People die. Sometimes gruesomely.
...still, someone like Eleven should be spared the sights, though, if someone like Archeval can help it at all. It doesn't make the galaxy any better a place to spread around this particular misery.
He finds a spot to lean on and cross his arms over his chest as he looks on softly.
"...I'd like to ask a favor, if you're amenable," he says at last.
WHEN: May 24th, shortly after Lan Wangji's announcement.
WHERE: Around the farm.
WHAT: He promised he'd try to keep certain people out of the way of the cleanup, and he knows where to find exactly one of them, so...
WARNINGS: Frank discussion of death, maybe. Arche being an asshole, probably.
The farmland they're staying on is a fairly expansive place, but if Archeval opens his senses to the brush of minds around him for a little while, he's more than familiar enough with Eleven's to zero in on the one presence who's consistently been somewhere nearby since day one of this whole ordeal. He turns his attention away from the quartz for now as he heads over to find where El has gotten off to, closing in quietly to simply watch for a little while, not quite sure what he should even say. Something... something comforting? He feels like normal people would probably say something comforting. But death simply is what it is, one of the normal facts of living. He's been giving it the finger for twenty-three years, but many beings of his acquaintance haven't been so lucky. He's seen far too much of it for the idea to shock anymore. People die. Sometimes gruesomely.
...still, someone like Eleven should be spared the sights, though, if someone like Archeval can help it at all. It doesn't make the galaxy any better a place to spread around this particular misery.
He finds a spot to lean on and cross his arms over his chest as he looks on softly.
"...I'd like to ask a favor, if you're amenable," he says at last.
no subject
"Your title. Luminary, yes?... Someone who brings light to dark places."
For a moment, standing there as a black stain against the gray tundra grass with cloak tossed about in the cold breeze, the Dark Lord stares over very solemnly indeed.
"Not everything is yours to fix, hero," he says quietly.
"But you do plenty of illuminating already."
He stands there for another second in silence before turning away at last, taking a step back toward where they picked up those supplies so he can put all this away.
"...So. What is your plan now?"
Hopefully he's not about to have to scramble to come up with a second distraction.
no subject
Eleven reaches for the journal tucked into his pouch and taps into the rose quartz network to write a quick question of Alina while Archeval is occupied, then breaks the connection to respond.
"If we bury them, the wolves will probably dig them up. I can help burn them, and offer prayers for their passing."
A proper ceremony would have a real priest and their families present, but this is what they can do now.
no subject
He'd just as happily keep Eleven away from whatever mess has been made of the corpses as well, but a hero of light has probably seen a few dead bodies in his time, and it sounds like El is probably already fairly set on this path anyhow. Perhaps taking some kind of action will help him sleep better. Far be it from Archeval to tell anybody not to do precisely what they can live with, no more and no less.
But hopefully those bodies have been bundled up away from the mess by now. Or maybe Lan Wangji, the man who apparently can't be bothered to lift a finger for menial labor, has managed to get it cleaned up. Stranger things have happened.
"Well, I will do my best to absorb the lesson," he murmurs a little dryly as he walks over to tuck the supplies away.
"And I won't shirk my duty, since you've gone to the trouble. Suppose that means I'll see you here bright and early tomorrow."
no subject
Idly, he wonders what it is Archeval thinks he's illuminated, and resolves to ask some time.
"I do feel a little better," he assures the man, in case there is room for doubt. Though there isn't any telling how he'll feel after the ceremony, or if he crosses paths with Lan Wangji. "More clear-minded, at least."
The Luminary isn't the only one able to lift people out of dark places- just as well, as his own light wavers more often than not.
"I look forward to seeing your seedlings come along."
no subject
It's a bad habit he indulges too often, willy-nilly getting close like this. Probably going to get him knifed in the back someday. He really has gone inexcusably soft since first being handed the Council seat. But... it's certainly made surviving in this place more bearable, even if some days are like this.
That's not nothing, either.
"Well, if they turn up black and withered one day, please know that I still tried," he says with another bone-dry glance. He's hardly El's babysitter, so he's not going to patronize him so far as to follow him around the whole farm, but as the other turns to leave Arche will walk with him to the edge of the garden to watch him go.
"But I will do my best."