Abraxas Inbox

[itookashot]

IC Inbox

voice✦ video ✦ text ✦ action

CODE

Comments

[a_better_man]

i know

they showed us jesper

they showed us while they did it

but they didnt say where

i dont know what happened

[itookashot]

They wanted you all to think they blew up Cadens, otherwise they would have clarified.

What happened is that Thorne wanted an excuse and they got one. Which is pretty suspicious considering ALL of the delegates got attacked. And now Free Cities has an excuse to attack.

Mat, you all need to get out of there.

[a_better_man]

they say it was the cities that moved first

a court mage was murdered

that is unlikely to be an option now

[itookashot]

They're lying. EVERYONE was attacked at the same time.

Mat, I'm going to find a way, and I'm going to come and get you and Rhy and anyone else there. This isn't our war, I'm not letting any of us be collateral for their bullshit!

[a_better_man]

someones playing a very complicated game aren't they?

jesper dont be a fucking idiot. its no safer you trying to get in than me trying to get out. we cant be stupid about this. im not in immediate danger.

[itookashot]

Yes, I don't know if it's one of the leaders or someone else. Someone else did get all the Summoned out of Thorne and they haven't been seen since. There could be another group involved. We don't know.

Listen, I know Free Cities, they wanted this. They have been waiting for it. They're not going to hit one of Thorne's lesser cities, they're going to go for the castle!

I'm not running there now but I'm going to make a plan and we're going to make it happen because I'm not leaving you in that castle!

[a_better_man]

i fucking hate politics

jesper...

your passion is both touching and humbling but this isn't some romance ballad. the lands in which we live are at war. openly and truly now. we have got to be smart about this. heads down. if the cities are going to attack you couldn't get here in time anyway.

if everyone was waiting for things to ignite then they're going to be prepared. thorne struck first so they had time to prepare for retaliation. i'm safe right now.

let me worry about me. i'm excellent at it.

[itookashot]

This is not my first time navigating an impossible situation, Mat. I’m going to make a plan I’m not going to just run off, but you’re my friend and my lover and I don’t leave those in danger.

Maybe we should all get out. It’s not like here is safe either. We could go to the Singularity and the area around it where none of them can get to.

[a_better_man]

and it's not my first time being under threat of danger. i am asking you jesper to hold off on any plans. i can't live with myself if something happens to you. and we don't know what tomorrow's going to bring.

a lovely thought but not in the least sustainable.

[itookashot]

A lot of people died. We can see the smoke from here.

[a_better_man]

I know. What I saw was enough to make me sick up.

But you and I are still here. And logically speaking, we here in the madlands are too valuable to the crown to not defend spectacularly.

[itookashot]

Once they let us go there, we'll know how bad it was. The Summoned here want to help out, but don't know if there are many people left to help.

We should've all run for Solvunn! Maybe quiet farmland is the best.

[a_better_man]

I hope it's not as bad as it looked from here.

Fuck me, maybe we should have. But we didn't and now we're stuck in opposing kingdoms, with only magic to reach out to one another. I suppose if nothing else I could give ballad writing a try, I think I've enough experience to pen one at this point.

[itookashot]

[ Jesper has to laugh, despite everything. ]

Are you telling me you're going to write an epic tragic romance about us?

Because low key I'm into it.

[a_better_man]

No I'm just saying that it would make a good one. I've never actually written a ballad in my life, and the gleeman that taught me didn't get that far in our lessons.

I can't even play an instrument beyond the hand drum. What we'd end up with is a bizarre poem.

[itookashot]

Well now I'm just disappointed, Mat.

I probably shouldn't be flirting with you at a time like this but it's better than wanting to assassinate Thorne's queen.

[a_better_man]

You really shouldn't be disappointed, it would likely be awful. You have an unrhymable name, to start with.

And better than losing our minds or weeping, I suppose.

[itookashot]

You can use my nickname, Jes. It rhymes with yes, which is what I like to hear anyway.

[ Rimshot. ]

The Crows usually laugh in the face of danger, it's our trademark, but it's difficult to feel it right now. We'd just been in Libertas for a festival. There were a lot of good people, innocent people.

[a_better_man]

And I've certainly never said 'no' to you.

I generally just run, but that's not an option now. Of course where I live isn't on fire this time.

[itookashot]

There has to be a way for us to get out of this. To get you and Rhy and anyone else stuck there out, maybe there's somewhere we can start our own village. It wouldn't be the first time, Inej's people the Suli do it all the time. They're nomadic.

[a_better_man]

A very pleasant thought but again not a very realistic one. They'd come after us and we are not in any shape to defend against any of them.

Sometimes the options are just all shit. At least until better options present themselves.

[itookashot]

I don't think they would come after us here, they've never really given all that much attention to us the same way, but yeah, you lot are basically Thorne's prisoners. In a gilded cage, but one nevertheless. I wonder if we could make it to Solvunn, if they'd put us under their neutrality blanket.

I'm just worried. But I'm sure as long as you keep your head down there, they won't do anything to you. For now.

[a_better_man]

Then you're free to just leave the Free Cities and go somewhere else? Because I'd bet a good bit of money that they pay more attention than you think.

I'll lay it out plainly. I've always been perfectly agreeable and on good behavior since I got here. Worst I've done is frozen some things I maybe ought have not. Like a flight of stairs one time. But I know when to play along and blend in, and I have been. I don't even pick pockets these days. For all Thorne knows, I am a good and obedient boy.

And I promise you I will be in touch every day. Even if it's just a quick message before bed.

[itookashot]

I don't know, they've never limited us before. We've visited other cities freely and the hunters go out into the Badlands which isn't Free Cities property. So they're allowed past the territory regularly.

They're magic users, I'm fairly certain they've frozen some things too.

Please do. I'm not used to being this far away from people I love. Usually I'm always there and I can protect them, you know?

[ Protection is very important to Jesper, it's what he puts a lot of his personal value into. Keeping those he loves safe. ]

[a_better_man]

But you haven't heard of anyone hopping a wagon to Solvunn, have you? I'm just saying you need to be careful, too. Of more than just attacks from Thorne.

I will. I know what you mean. I don't like that we're practically on opposite sides of the world from each other. I don't like it at the best of times and I certainly don't like it now. But that's what it is and we'll do what we can.

Wish we could write real letters to each other, too. Be nice to have words that didn't vanish.