Lord Felix Harrowgate (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
noirant) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
eachdraidh2014-07-29 02:04 pm
noirant) wrote in eachdraidh2014-07-29 02:04 pm
( video | unlocked | post-feast )
[ Politics and wars are one thing, but magic is quite another; some thirsts aren't slaked so easily by squabbling imps and gaudy fabric. Knowledge is power, and power is every wizard's disease.
Felix is far more rumpled than he'd like, and that hair won't unfrizz any time soon, but the words come calm as day: ]
It seems we've all been busy, so I suppose I ought to be brief.
Magic. If you'll indulge the melodramatic imagery, it's as myriad as a hydra's necks, and almost twice as difficult to pin down. Any sort of rigorous survey seems better left for days without a pounding headache. Perhaps instead, we might just speak.
Tell me what you know about magic. Stories, facts, vicious gossip if you're so disposed. Magic brought us each here, so let us be kind guests and oblige it the conversation.
[ He flashes a wide, tired smile. ]
Unfamiliarity is quite acceptable. I'd just like to hear it from you.
Felix is far more rumpled than he'd like, and that hair won't unfrizz any time soon, but the words come calm as day: ]
It seems we've all been busy, so I suppose I ought to be brief.
Magic. If you'll indulge the melodramatic imagery, it's as myriad as a hydra's necks, and almost twice as difficult to pin down. Any sort of rigorous survey seems better left for days without a pounding headache. Perhaps instead, we might just speak.
Tell me what you know about magic. Stories, facts, vicious gossip if you're so disposed. Magic brought us each here, so let us be kind guests and oblige it the conversation.
[ He flashes a wide, tired smile. ]
Unfamiliarity is quite acceptable. I'd just like to hear it from you.
[ Video ]
[For getting this far without needing prompt to state his name!]
And it's only Seelie territory I've seen, and regrettably little of it. I've ff -- ...found it well. -- Enough, considering...
[Good heavens that's not an answer at all.]
[ Video ]
Caer Scima has struck grand enough, I should hope to see its twin some day. [ Casual, conversational talk. Then it twists in, and his voice is intently expectant. ] I beg your pardon, I didn't quite catch that. Considering...?
[ Video ]
Uh -- I apologize, my lord. [So much for keeping it to Felix!] Considering the uh -- the circumstances of our stay. Although -- it isn't as if -- as if we're being treated as anything less than - than honored guests.
[ Video ]
[ But he doesn't sound like he means it. Anthony's been fine enough, but he's starved for a chance to lord over someone. Guilt will catch up to him later. ]
You can build a cell as wide and grand as the world, but calling it freedom is still misnomer. Do you want to go back?
[ Video ]
I might. [Can do no better than tentative.] If it would be needed -- I suppose.
[That might be at a point between saying too little by one standard and by virtue of it saying too much for grace by another, hence a sort of padding-off, and his face twitches apologetic - leaves it there even clumsy as it is; he could return the question, but after, again, deferring, he's unsure if it'd come off as imprudent or nosing.]
[ Video ]
[ But of course, they aren’t, and he can very well. Felix peers at Anthony, unblinking, his blue eye cold. He doesn’t mind pursuing the implied question, it asks nothing of him, and opens up further possibility to push forward. ]
I don’t take kindly to being kept, kindly or otherwise. The audacity of such tactics —
[ Felix shakes his head, expression flickering venomous to the side, away. ]
— I’ve a life’s work to see to.
[ The phrasing is 100% intentional, an off-hand bit of meanness he won’t even notice for an hour yet. With that bit of spite shaken loose, his tone again calms, softening almost affectionately as he readdresses Anthony.]
There are others waiting; my brother, the Curia... my absence will be noted. As I'm certain yours would be here, [ He adds, almost on afterthought. ] You've been nothing but kind and forthcoming, and I truthfully must thank you for that.
[ Video ]
It shifts into a small nod at what comes next, and another - doesn't entirely lift out of the second. Suspects that it was intended to sound as it does, the point of life. Internal twinge at deliberate acknowledgement; any tiny bit of spite or sort of punishment that can be slung his way, he can't exactly do more than take - can't even complain or take offense, and so he doesn't.
Does straighten back up again when Felix's tone shifts - everything lifts again, out of uncertain curiosity. Thins his lips and downcasts his eyes in equally-uncertain acknowledgement at "I'm certain yours would be here", and once room seems open for him to take his turn, blundering on into it:]
-- I've been nothing, my lord. But ah -- thank you.
It's -- [Just before the most active part of a filler swallow. This is obvious, this is useless, this means nothing, but it's acknowledged, hopefully the expression of that is conveyed as sincere, if nothing better than that.] -- regrettable that. -- You are among those being kept, from...
Business. Of import...
[ Video ]
[ It's a small smile, but brilliant, lighting up his whole face; shining at Anthony like there's just no one else around Felix would smile for. ]
Otherwise we never would have met.
[ He'll flash it at at least three other people tonight. ]
[ Video ]
He pulls a smile likewise, also small - bit of a twist here and there throughout his face out of sheepishness and a sort of wry and self-directed unspecific humor, dips his head a little, brow knits a tad when his voice comes back up.]
-- You honor me, my lord; I've done nothing but -- occupy your time. [In a spirit to match what's fueling his look; hopefully that's both sufficiently sincere and sufficiently politely-conversational rather than overdone as far as expression of self-deprecation can be. A straighter nod.] But thank you.