“How much longer?” Jaime signed, raising an eyebrow towards the mountain peak the pair were now faced with just across the valley.
Jace turned away for a moment, eyes filtering over the trees and the path that would lead them to the hidden mountain city. “A week,” ey said, turning back to eir travel companion so they could see the words eir hands spoke as well as hear em. “Maybe more.”
“So long?” they questioned, hands fluttering through the movements. “We can see it.”
Jace shook eir head, frowning a little as ey took in the valley. Flat land and a road that lead straight to the queen’s doorstep and the lower villages nestled at the mountains feet. And then to the cliff face they stood atop of. An obstacle that required more equipment to try and cross than either of them had. “You’re used to ocean travel... It’d be shorter if we could cut through the valley—but I doubt either of us wants to attempt that cliff. So it’s around the range. Luckily there’s enough towns between here and there that we shouldn’t have to sleep on the ground for a while.”
Jace made a short little decisive nod before turning eir feet back towards the path before them both. Too many miles lay between them and their destination. And far too few lay between em and the life ey’d left behind.
It wasn’t long before Jace heard a series of clicks that stilled eir feet on the path once more. The clicks sounded from a small device Jaime kept in their pocket, a sure sign that the siren needed to get your attention. Jace wasn’t exactly sure how it worked, whether by magic or something else, but ey’d grown accustomed to it and it’s meaning over the last few weeks.
Ey’d ignored it at first. Certain that the sound was coming from some sort of animal, or the woods trying to play a trick on em. But Jaime had explained it. Had shown em the device and told how it had been fashioned. As a way for them to draw attention when others weren’t looking. When words signed would be missed by turned backs and absent gazes.
How it was simpler than having to tap someone’s shoulder if they wanted to talk.
And Jace had since made a point to keep an ear out for it. The pairs travels didn’t easily allow Jaime to remain in eir sight, ey welcomed the clicking. Especially since it didn’t result in a startled ex guard captain reaching for the blade sheathed at eir side.
Jaime immediately began signing as soon as Jace’s gaze was upon them. “Why again are we going to see the queen of the mountains?”
“To beg a boon,” was eir short reply, mouth twisting into a small frown with the words. “Assuming,” ey continued, “that she’ll even hold an audience with us. News of my... betrayal has reached her already I’m sure.”
“Of course.” Blue eyes rolled and Jaime’s features took on one of indignation. And should Jaime have not needed their hands to speak Jace imagined they would’ve been carefully crossed over the sirens chest as they leaned against a tree at the edge of the path. Ankles crossed as they prepared to argue. “You’re great betrayal of existing—“
Jace let out a breath, eir own arms crossing over eir chest. “Of lying. Of keeping secrets. Of hiding who—no what I am.”
“You would’ve been killed.”
“I don’t blame them for not trusting me,” Jace countered. “I can fool and lie to them too easily, how are they supposed to know I haven’t? That I’m not? How is anyone?”
“You haven’t betrayed anyone, not for simply existing. And if they can’t look past years of your friendship, your loyalty... and see that. Well it speaks more of them than it does you."
"Things aren't that simple."
Jaime pushed thmself off of the tree, their expression turned somber. "They never are. I know what it's like, Jace. To not be someone people believe is worthy of their trust. To be the object of everyone's suspicion. Simply because of an ability we didn't choose."
A silence settled over the clearing where they stood. An understanding as Jaime faced em with far too much knowing in their expression. They understood. And as Jace's own gaze flicked to the silver scar that stretched wide across their neck, ey knew why.
As a siren, Jaime had the ability to control people just with the sound of their voice. Or... they had had the ability.
Jace hadn't asked what had happened. How they had gotten the scar across their neck. But ey had learned enough over the course of their journey together. Picked up bits and pieces of the full tale as Jaime had carefully explained to a curious boy why they couldn't speak.
They had kept most of the details quiet, only telling enough to sate a young ones curiousity; but it had been enough for em to figure out that thier throat had been slit. Whether an atempt to rend them powerless as what had been done, or if it was to kill them... Jace wasn't entirely sure. Ey supposed it didn't really matter.
Either way. It had been done out of fear. fear for what they were. For the power they controlled.
And Jace knew that fear all to well. Had seen it eir entire life as eir kind had been hunted and slaughtered merely for the act of existing. And it was a fear that would follow em still.
Even if Castor had called for a stop of the killings as soon as he'd been placed on the throne.
Even if shapeshifters were no longer to be hunted and slain.
It wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Never enough for the fear to stop. The pointless cruelty all because a few might use their gifts for wrong.
Sirens and their song aren't the evil of the world to be feared. Nor are shifters and their changing skins. But such was the way of the world.
And maybe it was too late for anyone to change that.
"You're not a monster," Jaime signed, breaking the earie stillness that had fallen over them both. "Just because you can wear others skin... doesn't make you something to fear."
"I know."
"Others will see that. You left your friends before they could prove their hearts in the face of your truth, not that you should've had to wait for the shock to fade." A pause as Jaime's hands stilled and they seemed to be gathering the rest of thier words. Shuffling them together with a frown before their brown furrowed and they continued on. Offering a bit of hope with the smallest of smiles. "You don't know if they would have turned on you, all of them. Perhaps you never will. But their inacceptance doesn't mean you won't find it with others. I refuse to believe that you and I are alone in this world, and that we can only find company amongst other supposed monsters."
Okay so. Jaime. Covered in tattoos. Full sleeves both arms. All ocean themed. That first picture? It’d continue up across the full arm with various creatures in the same style, ending with waves going across their shoulder/chest (not colored). Same for the other arm, but more like the last picture. Just. Ocean tattoos man.
Jaime: actually, probably just a moment to rest. A quiet moment alone. Starting with watching the sunrise in the morning by the window with a warm mug of tea, maybe a book. And just seeing where the day takes me from there.
distinguishing features - a long silver scar rests a little jagged across their neck. they have ocean themed sleeves tattooed up both arms, and waves coming across their shoulder blades. brown or black hair worn with an undercut. buff and 6’4.
five facts -
– completely mute after an incident during the early years of their military service. is fluent in an equivalent to ASL because of this.
- street performer. can often be found on a random street corner playing violin for passerby. was taught how to play by captain jace greywolf after the incident that left them mute.
- your go to person if you need anything blown up or dismantled. please don’t ask them to try and fix anything though. they’re a demolition expert for a reason.
- vegetarian
- your stereotypical dark and brooding edgy character but. not an asshole. unless you’re an asshole first. have we ever actually seen them without a pair of fingerless black leather gloves? it remains unclear.
