I told myself that I was not at all alone

[bearshermark]

WHO: Eleven and Archeval
WHEN: Soon after this
WHERE: Farmhouse
WHAT: A late night, friendly chat about things.
WARNINGS: None for now



The hour was growing late, but with the prospects of going into town for the fifth time the next day, Eleven elected to seek out Archeval before he said his prayers for the night and went to sleep. Finding the man was a relatively simple matter now; the touch of his energy familiar when he wasn't trying to hide it. Similarly, he suspected his presence never came as a surprise.

"How are your plants coming along?" he asked in lieu of greeting. "The leaves should be about done growing by now."

Comments

[bearshermark]

"Safeguard time," he clarified, but elected not to get into the rest. If Archeval hadn't heard of them before, then it was further Luminary Business that was tiring to contemplate let alone explain given his own partial understanding. As it stood, his various theories about them in relation to their arrival here held little water.

Eleven huffed an amused breath. He hadn't spent much time speaking with Mingyu himself, but it seemed Archeval was familiar with him. "It doesn't feel like anything makes much sense."

He shrugged. "I can only guess Unhalad didn't have a great deal of precision when it came to summoning us to this world if he wanted us for our strength."

[darkeststars]

Arche gave another expansive sigh.

"I really do hate unanswered questions, and it feels like we add five more around here every week." He shook his head as he turned another wry look in Eleven's direction.

"Before I let my tongue get away from me on some sort of rant, though--... Was that all? If we have someplace to be then I suppose I should probably pack up for the night."

[bearshermark]

Was that all? Eleven blinked back at Archeval, abruptly feeling as though he was forgetting something. But the man had already agreed to accompany him as he'd asked..

"No," he said after a moment, "I believe that was all."

Eleven shifted up and out of his seat, but lingered a moment.

"Aside from... all of that," he gestured with a vague wave, "You're all right?"

[darkeststars]

For a moment, that just garnered a noncomprehending blink from the Sith, Arche glancing down at himself with mild confusion at the unexpected question.

"Do I... look ill or something? I'm feeling decent enough given the circumstances. Why?..." The phrasing seemed quite on-the-nose, but just perhaps Eleven had only meant to ask after how he'd generally been, since stars knew El was given to social niceties like that and they'd both been occupied with other things in recent days that hadn't provided much opportunity for chatting. Ever since -- the day of the execution, as a matter of fact.

"I'd sooner turn the question around on you, if I'm honest," he said back in a murmur, with one raised brow as he shifted to lean his cheek against the back of his hand.

[bearshermark]

Nerves spread rapidly through his stomach, not quite anticipating the turnaround. Maybe it was his own uncertainties bleeding through that led him to ask after the man. He did look well enough, after all- it was only something niggling beneath the surface that pressed him to make sure.

I'm okay, would be that terribly prevalent lie he couldn't stop telling himself or others, and Archeval at least, didn't deserve them. He drew in a halting breath.

"I guess.. we never did get to talk, before the meeting. I worry about the group splitting up." And Goddess-damned Winnie and her utterly baseless accusation that not one person would care, like she knew anything about him or his connections here.

He rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head. He'd planned not to talk about this tonight, but now it was out there. He dropped the arm with a sigh. "..Does it seem likely to you?"

[darkeststars]

Arche crossed his arms at that with a thoughtful hum as he gave the question serious thought for a second. He'd stayed quiet through most of the meeting, content to sort through the intelligence others had presented and not hearing any suggestions so outrageous they'd needed to be stepped on. He was a bit surprised Eleven hadn't approached him then, but he'd slipped out early enough perhaps there just hadn't been time.

"Well, it's not impossible. I myself have considered breaking off before if the other beings here couldn't seem to prove amenable to reason at all. But I think if such a thing were to happen it would surely be a couple or a handful going their own way, perhaps finding a little success or -- just as likely realizing how few allies and resources we all truly have here." He raised his brows at El again with a wry look.

"I suspect most of this group is united for one reason and one reason alone -- that we mutually realize our best resource is one another. For as long as that remains the same, it will be in the best interest of the majority to stick together, even if they must make some uncomfortable compromises to do so. There are quite a few strong personalities in this group, some more annoying than others," he said with a little snort, "but contention and arguments are natural in building any kind of coalition." He spread his hands in a shrug just then as a faintly amused look passed over his face.

"At least no one's tried to kill anybody else yet. By Sith standards, that is a rousing success."

[bearshermark]

Eleven tried not to smile. It wasn't funny, really, but it was just enough levity to prevent the worst of his worries. That amusement slowly faded as he thought over the rest of what he'd said.

"Uncomfortable compromises," he repeated, eyes lowering. His fingers trailed along the edge of the desk, then pressed with intent as his voice grew impassioned.

"I can't- we can't, with Unhalad. We can't." As though he needed to convince Archeval. "If it came to that, I... I really don't think I could go along with it."

[darkeststars]

"I don't expect that is really in any danger of happening," Arche shrugged back. There was a hard glint in his eye as he spoke the words.

"I have not noticed anyone that eager to shack up with the one who planned to make a meal out of all of us in the first place. And in my personal opinion, the practicalities of pretending to do so in order to double-cross him are quite beyond this group. Political backstabbing requires subtlety, discretion, and a good knowledgeable read on the surrounding situation. We have, for the most part, none of those things," he observed with another wry glance.

"There's no real reason to even consider it. If even one person drops the ball in a game like that, then the deception is revealed for all of us, and in a group this large someone is going to have a moment of butterfingers. I imagine anyone who takes a moment to think about it would come to this realization sooner or later. It's a tactic that could work well for integrating a lone operative, not so much a large motley group of untrained half civilians."

Perhaps it would perturb Eleven to hear the other man object mainly on logistical grounds, but then they'd spent enough time around one another by now for El to know something of what Arche was like. The Sith looked fairly calm about the whole idea, apparently confident that their little group was going to come to the right decision on this in the end.

"I truly think there is nothing to worry about. Majority rule, in this specific case, will lead us to the outcome we all agree upon -- that no one here wants to be friend to our kidnapper."

[bearshermark]

Eleven's brush of temper waned, the suffusion of cool logic steadily settling his heart rate. It was a stupid idea, he known it was a stupid idea, and Archeval had a bulleted list of pointed reasons why beyond even the potential risk factor.

He breathed, straightening, and withdrew his hand. "That's good to know."

And it was. He could trust that Archeval would be prepared to shoot down any such notions with far more effectiveness than he could manage himself. There would be no ill-conceived alliance with Unhalad. They would be fine.

"Thank you."

[darkeststars]

Archeval gave another blink, looking a little surprised once again by the gratitude. He cocked his head slightly at Eleven and paused a moment to simply take El in again before he spoke.

"...You're welcome," he said slowly at last.

"Though I don't know if it needs a thanks. Those are simply the facts of the situation. Perhaps you should be getting to bed soon?..." He frowned as he reached over to start gathering up his things.

"Not that I'm running you off if you still had some question, but you seem more fatigued than I'd expect, and I don't relish having to play nursemaid again because you were pushing yourself too hard." He gave a little sniff as he pointedly met El's eyes again. Arche did not, as a rule, seem to express concern for others out loud very often, so perhaps El could take the familiar line of grousing in the spirit that it was intended.

[bearshermark]

They were friends; that hadn't changed. They still stood on the same side. The tension in Eleven's shoulders eased. He yet had a number of allies. There was plenty of strength in that. He could take heart even Archeval's thinly-cloaked concern.

His smile shone softer now, more genuine.

"That was months ago," he returned lightly, stepping back. "But I suppose I never truly promised otherwise. I'll take my leave then- if only to avoid your bedside manner."

He turned away just before his expression broke into a grin, though Archeval had surely seen it waver. He stifled a laugh even as his voice bled amusement.

"Good night."

[darkeststars]

"You think I haven't seen you around here? I'm fully confident in your ability to get in over your head a second time even with someone right on your heels at all hours." The dryly humorous drawl followed El across the room as he turned to go, Arche shaking his head at the other's retreating back.

"Until the morning then."