[Even when she posed the question, it had been more idle speculation. Maketh nearly drops her glass when she hears the answer, staring at Henry in astonishment.
Perhaps it's unwarranted. He is a knight, after all, and such folk are bond by their word. But---
Well. Maketh hardly expected him to stay, if there was a chance to return home.
But he'll stay. Because of the oath he made with her.
She sets her glass down with some finality. The weight of that decision is clear to her now.] You are truly one of a kind, Henry Percy. And I am honored to have you at my side. To whatever end.
[Henry is initially puzzled by Maketh's astonishment. Then he huffs sharply, when it occurs to him why she reacts that way. Yet his affront quickly softens into a fond exasperation -- by now he is more than aware there is a culture difference between them.
Despite his overarching mood, he gives Maketh a wry half-smile.]
The end that we determine.
[That he fully means. They should have confidence that they can achieve their goals.
...Still, Henry cannot let her outburst go without remark. After a moment to acknowledge the sincerity of her words and the mutual honour, he gives comment.]
Try not to suggest that my promises are trifling.
[There is a biting edge to his tease, but it's obviously just teasing by the way that he simultaneously nudges her.]
[Maketh gives him a little smile, leaning against his side. She likes that she can do that here, that Henry is here at all. Someone who trusts her without hesitation, who believes sincerely in their cause.] Never. Sometimes I just forget how different our worlds are. That's all.
'Tis a wonder how little that difference truly matters.
[Maketh is important to him regardless of that distance. Even with the miscommunication it occasionally brings.]
If you were to vanish--
[No loss will ever match the pain of Iamarl's, save for Edward's, but Henry knows with sudden acuteness that he would grieve her. He closes his eyes, his grip on his glass tightening. Her weight and radiating warmth are somehow soothing.]
[Maketh puts her hand on his wrist and squeezes tight. She can't hope to match him in strength of arms, but it's something. Proof of her presence at his side.
Right here, right now - this is what matters.] I won't.
[She rests her head against his shoulder.] And I...I don't think I could, even if we had a choice in the matter. I'm dead on Lothal. This is home now.
[Henry opens his eyes again. He did not know that she was dead in her world. How one comes to terms with that is difficult to imagine. But then, he is very much bound to his land.]
That would explain your mirror.
[Henry looks at her hand on his wrist, then turns his head to watch her on his shoulder.]
Is it? [He asks with a measure of hesitation, somewhat dubious, and concerned that this is all she has.] Feel this like a home to you?
[She's kept it in a drawer in her room, wrapped up in a scarf for safe keeping. Sometimes Maketh takes it out and looks at it, wondering if she'd be allowed to see such things. If it was even possible. But there is always that hope.
She shakes her head slowly.] Not...not really. Or at least not yet. But it could be.
[Maketh smiles a little.] Lilith said I should come to her world when this is done. Be a vault hunter like her. Perhaps I'll do that. See another world.
If you command the Door, then you shall have a great number of worlds at your leisure. Presuming that it can be commanded.
[Henry smiles a little, his gaze growing speculative.]
Is Lilith but a close friend? Or is she a prospect?
[He has a few small snatches of memory from their absurdly drunken night at Delight's bar, and their toast is one. Maketh has only ever spoken of women romantically.
He knows nothing of Lilith, of course. But that invitation sounds more committed than just hosting a visit.]
[If she were younger - or just someone else - then Maketh might be excited at the possibilities. How many words could there be? Would they all look different from hers? For the moment, she's simply curious. There's much to do before she can think of these things.
Maketh sputters at the question, hand flying to her face.] What? I - she is my friend!
[Well. A very good friend. And perhaps - perhaps she's considered it, in a vague way. Maketh covers her eyes with a groan. She doesn't usually talk about these things sober.] I don't know. She's important.
[Considering how frank Maketh has been in the past, it's almost sweet to see her flustered. It is good, too, to have one lighthearted matter at hand, and to know that for her, potential is not prefaced by missed.]
Oh, so you are capable of shyness.
[Henry nudges her closest leg with his own.]
I will say naught else. 'Tis between us -- though I ought to thank Lilith soon.
[Talk of such things, in Maketh's opinion, is best done with alcohol if it's to be done at all. She thumps her head against his shoulder. Perhaps this is what having a sibling is like.] Mhmph. Yes, well.
[Not that he is ignoring Lilith's assistance during Rage's curse, but that had been purely coincidental -- a simple consequence of her wanting to kill his assailant, convenient to them both but not born from any real desire to help. It had been Dorian who had extracted him from that peril.]
[There was that. Maketh stays quiet for a moment, trying not to remember too vividly. It wasn't the first time she'd been near death, but perhaps the first time that power - raw, untapped power - had been aimed straight for her. She'd been lucky to get Chris out of the way in time, even if it had ended up hurting his knee all over again.]
[Henry sets down his glass and gets up. It does not take him long to retrieve the cards, so he soon settles back into place on the sofa. He opens up the pack and begins shuffling the cards. All fours, he thinks, or cent.]
Prefer you a quick game or a challenging one? Forfeits or none?
[Winner gets to pose a question of their choosing, perhaps.]
[Maketh leans back, watching him curiously. She played holo-chess from time to time on Lothal, but rarely card games.] Hmm. Something simple for now. But...forfeits, yes. It might as well be interesting.
[He explains the rules for her, then shifts to one corner of the chair, resting his back against the arm and folding his legs up. He deals them six cards each.]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2016-05-11 01:31 pm (UTC)Perhaps it's unwarranted. He is a knight, after all, and such folk are bond by their word. But---
Well. Maketh hardly expected him to stay, if there was a chance to return home.
But he'll stay. Because of the oath he made with her.
She sets her glass down with some finality. The weight of that decision is clear to her now.] You are truly one of a kind, Henry Percy. And I am honored to have you at my side. To whatever end.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-11 02:48 pm (UTC)Despite his overarching mood, he gives Maketh a wry half-smile.]
The end that we determine.
[That he fully means. They should have confidence that they can achieve their goals.
...Still, Henry cannot let her outburst go without remark. After a moment to acknowledge the sincerity of her words and the mutual honour, he gives comment.]
Try not to suggest that my promises are trifling.
[There is a biting edge to his tease, but it's obviously just teasing by the way that he simultaneously nudges her.]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-11 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 12:21 am (UTC)[Maketh is important to him regardless of that distance. Even with the miscommunication it occasionally brings.]
If you were to vanish--
[No loss will ever match the pain of Iamarl's, save for Edward's, but Henry knows with sudden acuteness that he would grieve her. He closes his eyes, his grip on his glass tightening. Her weight and radiating warmth are somehow soothing.]
Do not.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 01:46 am (UTC)Right here, right now - this is what matters.] I won't.
[She rests her head against his shoulder.] And I...I don't think I could, even if we had a choice in the matter. I'm dead on Lothal. This is home now.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 09:28 am (UTC)[Henry opens his eyes again. He did not know that she was dead in her world. How one comes to terms with that is difficult to imagine. But then, he is very much bound to his land.]
That would explain your mirror.
[Henry looks at her hand on his wrist, then turns his head to watch her on his shoulder.]
Is it? [He asks with a measure of hesitation, somewhat dubious, and concerned that this is all she has.] Feel this like a home to you?
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 01:59 pm (UTC)[She's kept it in a drawer in her room, wrapped up in a scarf for safe keeping. Sometimes Maketh takes it out and looks at it, wondering if she'd be allowed to see such things. If it was even possible. But there is always that hope.
She shakes her head slowly.] Not...not really. Or at least not yet. But it could be.
[Maketh smiles a little.] Lilith said I should come to her world when this is done. Be a vault hunter like her. Perhaps I'll do that. See another world.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 02:22 pm (UTC)[Henry smiles a little, his gaze growing speculative.]
Is Lilith but a close friend? Or is she a prospect?
[He has a few small snatches of memory from their absurdly drunken night at Delight's bar, and their toast is one. Maketh has only ever spoken of women romantically.
He knows nothing of Lilith, of course. But that invitation sounds more committed than just hosting a visit.]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 02:36 pm (UTC)[If she were younger - or just someone else - then Maketh might be excited at the possibilities. How many words could there be? Would they all look different from hers? For the moment, she's simply curious. There's much to do before she can think of these things.
Maketh sputters at the question, hand flying to her face.] What? I - she is my friend!
[Well. A very good friend. And perhaps - perhaps she's considered it, in a vague way. Maketh covers her eyes with a groan. She doesn't usually talk about these things sober.] I don't know. She's important.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 03:19 pm (UTC)Oh, so you are capable of shyness.
[Henry nudges her closest leg with his own.]
I will say naught else. 'Tis between us -- though I ought to thank Lilith soon.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 03:43 pm (UTC)[Maketh pauses.] Thank her for - ?
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 04:04 pm (UTC)[Not that he is ignoring Lilith's assistance during Rage's curse, but that had been purely coincidental -- a simple consequence of her wanting to kill his assailant, convenient to them both but not born from any real desire to help. It had been Dorian who had extracted him from that peril.]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 04:15 pm (UTC)[There was that. Maketh stays quiet for a moment, trying not to remember too vividly. It wasn't the first time she'd been near death, but perhaps the first time that power - raw, untapped power - had been aimed straight for her. She'd been lucky to get Chris out of the way in time, even if it had ended up hurting his knee all over again.]
She did. I was - lucky, that she came.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 05:34 pm (UTC)[He did not let her in to leave her miserable too. Henry tops up his glass, and pours Maketh a second.]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-12 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-05-13 09:25 am (UTC)[It is not just talent, dedication and hard work that have made him the calibre of knight he is, but also a genuine love of the knightly arts.]
But that will not do for us now. Play you card games? I chanced upon a deck.
no subject
Date: 2016-05-13 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-05-14 01:10 pm (UTC)[Henry sets down his glass and gets up. It does not take him long to retrieve the cards, so he soon settles back into place on the sofa. He opens up the pack and begins shuffling the cards. All fours, he thinks, or cent.]
Prefer you a quick game or a challenging one? Forfeits or none?
[Winner gets to pose a question of their choosing, perhaps.]
no subject
Date: 2016-05-14 01:37 pm (UTC)let's just handwave the details of play
Date: 2016-05-14 07:55 pm (UTC)[He explains the rules for her, then shifts to one corner of the chair, resting his back against the arm and folding his legs up. He deals them six cards each.]
Are you prepared?
sounds good!
Date: 2016-05-14 08:34 pm (UTC)