Honeyed Rays of Gold

Darian and Devin. Side Blog of @squaretablehold. Mun is 23 and uses they/them.

[undeadhunterd]

About | Rules | Verses | Main Blog | Thread Tracker

“ Honeyed rays of gold, deliver thy spirit.”

Asks and Anons welcome.

[undeadhunterd]

“He likely hoped the prospect of Caelid would scare you off,” Devin relaxes, dropping the incantation as Rogier drops the point of hid blade. “Or he was planning to ditch you at the third church, which I still might.” He shrugs, tone casual and indifferent. 

Devin listens with more interest to Rogier explain his reasons for his quest. Pale eyebrows climb unevenly up his forehead when Rogier says “we’ve.” Either the spellblade’s confused Darian’s tolerance for comradery, or the they’ve actually become something of a team.

Either way, Devin sort of wants to see how this plays out. Darian doesn’t have many friends, and if they aren’t friend, then what better way to get Darian back for not warning Devin than making sure the irritating sorcerer is still his problem when he wakes up? He clasps Rogier’s hand and shakes it firmly, a crooked smile on his face. 

“If you were a bit more golden and a bit less glintstone we could make you a real Hunter of the Order, given that little speech.” Devin’s mischievous grin indicates there’s more he wants to say on the topic of rough starts and pleasure, but he bites his tongue. For now. He’s decided not to actively try and scare Rogier off until the waygate at least.

“How do you feel about centipedes?” Devin asks, crouching down again to continue putting on the gold and silver armor.

[spellbladerogier]

With the hostility gone (for now, he imagines) and the introductions out of the way, Rogier smiles easily enough at Devin’s words. He merely chuckles at the thought of ever becoming a Hunter of the Order. “I’d consider it if they didn’t follow a strict dress code.”

He was hesitant to turn his back on his new companion, as if Devin might snatch his brother away and run as soon as he did so, but he knew he needed to put his remaining notes back into his satchel if they were going to be leaving soon. After a moment of arguing mentally with himself, he went to turn away only to pause at the mention of centipedes. “Hm? Oh, like the golden ones? I am familiar enough with them. Quite useful for the hunt, are they not?” He remembered the deathroot - the dangers it posed and how crucial golden centipedes were as a remedy of infection.

[undeadhunterd]

Devin gives a loud snort at the idea of a dress code. 

"Our boss wears an oversized burlap sack," Devin replies, even if he knows Roger’s just joking. It's nice having someone to talk to who can actually talk back. Devin always forgets how much he misses it. "It's more about you not having all the right tools for the job. Skelles can eat glintstone for days if you don't know what you're doing, an easy way to get surrounded."

A wicked smile crosses Devin's face as Rogier expresses familiarity with the centipedes. He must have seen Darian collect them then. Devin reaches for the stash now, digging a hand into their shared bag and withdrawing a closed fist.

"They have practical uses, sure, but they're also something of a lucky charm. Delightfully crunchy too." The mischievous glint in Devin's eye would be intimidating if Rogier hadn't already seen what his face looked like twisted with fury and ill intent. He nodded his head towards the sorcerer, "put out your hand."

[undeadhunterd]

Devin freezes as their earlier positions are reversed, now finding himself held at the point of a blade. Unlike before he’s not brazenly angry about the situation. He quirks an eyebrow as his eyes flick from Rogier’s rapier to his face, then briefly to Darian.

“You sure know how to pick ‘em,” he mutters to his brother and it’s unclear if it’s with derision, admiration, or some strange mix of both. Devin moves slowly, abandoning the armor and instead lightly grabbing one of Darian’s wrists. “Since D obviously hasn’t told you anything, I’ll fix that.”

Devin lifts Darian’s hand and waves it at Rogier, flattening his voice in what is both an uncannily good and mockingly bad impression of the sleeping twin. “Hi Rogier! I’m Darian, also known as D.” Devin flops Darian’s wrist towards his sleeping form. “This is my twin brother Devin, also known as D.” Then flops it back over towards himself and goes on.

“It’s a stupid thing from childhood we justify as easier than explaining the whole twin thing to everyone we meet. Surely it just slipped my mind, and I didn’t leave it all to Devin because I was too nervous to properly introduce myself!” Devin smirks at his own bit, gesticulating all through out with Darian’s limply puppeteered hand.

“He’s treating me like the idiot I am because he’s very cross with me. Understandable, I didn’t leave a note or warn my hanger-on, so not only did I scare the shit out of them both, but now Devin’s being held at sword point and has to haul my unconscious arse all the way to Dragonbarrow because I couldn’t even find a safe bolt-hole!” Devin sticks his tongue out at Darian in a gesture as immature as it is useless.

“And as you can tell, I’m not going to wake up for love nor grace right now because it’s not my turn with our shared armor or our shared soul. Devin’s got it right now, and if that’s a problem well…” Devin’s humor evaporates in an instant, his low crouch going from the position he happened to be in when threatened to the coil before a pounce.

He’d used the distraction of flopping Darian’s arm around to maneuver his own. His fingers dig into the stone of the floor, pulsing with the power of an unreleased incantation. “You’ll have to take that up with him.”

[spellbladerogier]

Rogier kept his expression firm to show he was not to be taken lightly, but the more he listened to Devin’s explanation, and his actions towards his sleeping brother, the harder it was not to grimace.

Either this Devin was lying about this shared soul thing - which, why would anyone believe that if it were a lie anyway - or he’s being completely honest with something very unusual. No wonder D was hesitant to rest with Rogier around with something so sensitive.

“Alright, I’ve got it now, just stop-” moving D around like a puppet, he wanted to continue but stopped himself, but Devin had already ceased doing so and was moving in a obviously threatening position.

All this postering between the two was almost becoming exhausting, or perhaps it was due to the obvious lack of sleep on Rogier’s part. He sighed pinching his brow with his free hand as he lowered his rapier.

“Enough, we’re clearly on the same side here,” he said casually as if they hadn’t both been threatening each other upon seconds of meeting. “You plan on carrying him to Dragonbarrow on your own?” He quirked an eyebrow. “That’s a long ways away, I’m surprised he hadn’t mentioned it to me.”

The sorcerer waved a dismissive hand, given D had clearly kept a lot more from him. Which was fair, honestly, it wasn’t as if Rogier shared his entire life’s story either. It wasn’t that sort of partnership. “As for your earlier question, I’m interested in death and all it’s mysteries in order to put this land to rights. You can’t get anywhere without understanding how the world works, or doesn’t work, given what we’ve been hunting. I used to be a scholar, you see, so information gathering is a bit of a habit. Alas, I’ve scoured as much as I could with written word, so I’ve taken upon myself to explore it hands on.”

Rogier cleared his throat, offering a hand out to properly greet Devin. “A pleasure, despite the rough start.”

[undeadhunterd]

"He likely hoped the prospect of Caelid would scare you off," Devin relaxes, dropping the incantation as Rogier drops the point of hid blade. "Or he was planning to ditch you at the third church, which I still might." He shrugs, tone casual and indifferent. 

Devin listens with more interest to Rogier explain his reasons for his quest. Pale eyebrows climb unevenly up his forehead when Rogier says "we've." Either the spellblade’s confused Darian's tolerance for comradery, or the they've actually become something of a team.

Either way, Devin sort of wants to see how this plays out. Darian doesn't have many friends, and if they aren't friend, then what better way to get Darian back for not warning Devin than making sure the irritating sorcerer is still his problem when he wakes up? He clasps Rogier's hand and shakes it firmly, a crooked smile on his face. 

"If you were a bit more golden and a bit less glintstone we could make you a real Hunter of the Order, given that little speech." Devin's mischievous grin indicates there's more he wants to say on the topic of rough starts and pleasure, but he bites his tongue. For now. He's decided not to actively try and scare Rogier off until the waygate at least.

"How do you feel about centipedes?" Devin asks, crouching down again to continue putting on the gold and silver armor.

[undeadhunterd]

Devin regards Rogier with a look of icy assessment, his grip on the knife tensing. For a split second it seems he finds Rogier’s explanation lacking, or that it’s all more trouble than it’s worth and he’ll make that single hard stroke needed to slit the sorcerer’s throat…

He doesn’t. Instead, Devin drops Rogier unceremoniously to the ground and backs towards his brother. He keeps the knife leveled at Rogier though, glare still firmly in place.

“Stay there,” Devin orders, still not turning his back on Rogier as he reaches Darian’s side. “Don’t move.”

Conditions of truce now lain, Devin kneels beside his brother, grabbing the gold and silver sword first. Only once it’s in easy reach does he put the knife away and turn his full attention to Darian. 

Devin glances over his brother, assessing his position - same stiff posture as always - and the arrangement of their shared possessions. Nothing out of order yet, but that’s still not proof. 

Darian’s hands are folded on his chest, as if arranged for a wake and funeral procession. Devin pulls them open casually for a quick examination. He scowls at the results, and turns his investigation to Darian’s pack without explaining himself or refolding his brother’s hands.

Devin starts with an outside pocket, but his frown only deepens as he opens it and sifts through what looks to be a series of letters. Several spots have been carefully inked out, now impossible to read. Devin glances at Rogier, back to the notes, and then down at Darian.

“You paranoid fucking-” In loo of an insult Devin smacks the stack of letters down on Darian’s placid face. The sleeping twin gives no reaction of course. 

“Why not burn them if you’re that worried?” Devin asks his unconscious brother. He shakes his head, but despite his quarrelsome words the shadow of a grin pulls at the edges of his mouth. He can’t keep the exasperated affection out of his voice as he grumbles, “What a rotten waste of ink. Sentimental pain in the arse… where’s your journal?”

The question leads Devin to digging through the main part of Darian’s bag and finding his answer near the bottom. He pulls out a rough looking book, and flips to the latest entry. The strange, scruffy, and suspicious twin sends Rogier one last evaluating look before he starts to skim.“Hmm, ration tally, distance covered, root status, moving slow…” Devin’s eyes furrow as he glances over several utilitarian entries before flipping back and continuing to read.

“Ah!” The little exclamation is made entirely to himself and his mutters are barely audible across the room. “Curious. Too curious. Oh you were annoyed!” Devin smirks at the journal. “Serves you fucking right D.” Devin heaves a sigh and drags a hand down his face, “Twitchy as twigs but doesn’t leave me anything useful. Just for that, I’m stealing your quill and nice pen knife. Use it or lose it you prick.”

Devin puts his smaller bag down next to Darian’s and swaps a few items between them. Journals, perishable rations, and other small personal affects that aren’t otherwise shared. One item - a bundle of cloth bound tightly in fabric strips consecrated with Golden Order sigils - he pulls from Darian’s bag and carefully palpates across it’s entire surface. With a concerned hum, Devin makes a note in Darian’s journal, then stuffs the mystery bundle back in the bag. The journal he balances carefully on Darian’s face to replace the freshly repacked letters. Only then does he return his attention to the sorcerer.

“So. Rogier is it? And you’re interested in Death. Why?” Devin’s tone remains critical and his gaze searching, but whatever information he’s gathered from Darian and his things has greatly eased his hostility. As he awaits his answer Devin begins donning Darian’s armor piece by piece.

[spellbladerogier]

Rogier did not like the prospect of possibly having to fight this man if he had to, but it seemed his words finally got the other to stop pressing that knife against his throat. The sorcerer managed to catch himself when he was let go, straightening and pausing as D’s mysterious brother told him to stay put.

He frowned but didn’t argue, eyes narrowing and watching carefully as Devin began looking through D’s things. As much as he would like to comment at the clear disinterest the twin was showing about D’s sleeping state, he waited before making judgment.

It seemed, though, that Devin had no interest in waking his brother, and Rogier was beginning to worry once more. Why hadn’t D told him about his twin? Was there a good reason? A dangerous reason?

As soon as he saw Devin begin to pick up D’s armor, his eyes widened before reaching for his rapier. Devin’s questions for now would be ignored, as Rogier had more pressing concerns. “Who exactly are you, then? That armor belongs to D - if you were actually concerned for D, or Darian as you call him, then why are you treating him as such? Why aren’t you waking him?” Was this simply an act of robbery? Jealousy of the other twin and wanting his things, then?

He kept his rapier pointed suspiciously. “Put those down now and explain yourself first.”

[undeadhunterd]

Devin freezes as their earlier positions are reversed, now finding himself held at the point of a blade. Unlike before he's not brazenly angry about the situation. He quirks an eyebrow as his eyes flick from Rogier's rapier to his face, then briefly to Darian.

"You sure know how to pick 'em," he mutters to his brother and it's unclear if it's with derision, admiration, or some strange mix of both. Devin moves slowly, abandoning the armor and instead lightly grabbing one of Darian's wrists. "Since D obviously hasn't told you anything, I'll fix that."

Devin lifts Darian's hand and waves it at Rogier, flattening his voice in what is both an uncannily good and mockingly bad impression of the sleeping twin. "Hi Rogier! I'm Darian, also known as D." Devin flops Darian's wrist towards his sleeping form. "This is my twin brother Devin, also known as D." Then flops it back over towards himself and goes on.

"It's a stupid thing from childhood we justify as easier than explaining the whole twin thing to everyone we meet. Surely it just slipped my mind, and I didn't leave it all to Devin because I was too nervous to properly introduce myself!" Devin smirks at his own bit, gesticulating all through out with Darian's limply puppeteered hand.

"He's treating me like the idiot I am because he's very cross with me. Understandable, I didn't leave a note or warn my hanger-on, so not only did I scare the shit out of them both, but now Devin's being held at sword point and has to haul my unconscious arse all the way to Dragonbarrow because I couldn't even find a safe bolt-hole!" Devin sticks his tongue out at Darian in a gesture as immature as it is useless.

"And as you can tell, I'm not going to wake up for love nor grace right now because it's not my turn with our shared armor or our shared soul. Devin's got it right now, and if that's a problem well..." Devin's humor evaporates in an instant, his low crouch going from the position he happened to be in when threatened to the coil before a pounce.

He'd used the distraction of flopping Darian's arm around to maneuver his own. His fingers dig into the stone of the floor, pulsing with the power of an unreleased incantation. "You'll have to take that up with him."

[undeadhunterd]

The soft touch has Devin blinking in surprise, and the pressure on the knife eases ever so slightly with his shock. His eyes narrow in suspicion though as Rogier goes on, and comprehends the situation. 

The sorcerer’s at least gotten an introduction out of Darian, but not his full name or any manner of explanation. That meant very little though. Any number of circumstances could lead to that. 

“He’s not going to wake up, you crystal-brained shit!” Devin snaps furious and wanting to cut anymore appeals off at the pass. “Who are you? Why were you draped over him? What’s that fucking study back there for?”

He’s worked himself up into a proper rage again, pressing on the knife and lifting Rogier higher up the wall, up to his curled shoe tiptoes. “What have you done to my brother!?”

Usually they wouldn’t mention each other right away, but them being twins isn’t a hard guess. Besides, Devin wants this strange sorcerer to know just how much trouble he’s really in.

[spellbladerogier]

Despite the ever present danger Rogier was finding himself in, the more information he was getting from this familiar looking stranger had him eager to learn more. Even so, his eyes widened as he caught onto why this mysterious brother of D’s was getting the wrong picture.

“D and I have been traveling together for some time, actually,” he began, clearing his throat as he kept an easy smile. “I was worried that he wasn’t getting any sleep, so I suggested we camp here.” His hand motioned towards the table of scrolls. “This is the usual hideout for one of my former teachers - I was merely going over some of my old research while trying to stay awake and keep watch…”

His eyes drifted back towards D still on the floor, brows creased in worry as Devin said he wouldn’t be waking up. When he was pulled further up against the wall, he strained on his toes with a huff, cheeks a little flushed at being called out for having passed out on Darian.

“L-listen, I was very tired! And very worried! It’d been hours and he hadn’t - still hasn’t woken up! I tried to check for a pulse and then I…fell asleep,” he mumbled. “Why isn’t he waking up? If he’s your brother, go help him! I’m no threat, I assure you!”

[undeadhunterd]

Devin regards Rogier with a look of icy assessment, his grip on the knife tensing. For a split second it seems he finds Rogier's explanation lacking, or that it's all more trouble than it's worth and he'll make that single hard stroke needed to slit the sorcerer’s throat…

He doesn't. Instead, Devin drops Rogier unceremoniously to the ground and backs towards his brother. He keeps the knife leveled at Rogier though, glare still firmly in place.

"Stay there," Devin orders, still not turning his back on Rogier as he reaches Darian’s side. "Don't move."

Conditions of truce now lain, Devin kneels beside his brother, grabbing the gold and silver sword first. Only once it's in easy reach does he put the knife away and turn his full attention to Darian. 

Devin glances over his brother, assessing his position - same stiff posture as always - and the arrangement of their shared possessions. Nothing out of order yet, but that's still not proof. 

Darian's hands are folded on his chest, as if arranged for a wake and funeral procession. Devin pulls them open casually for a quick examination. He scowls at the results, and turns his investigation to Darian's pack without explaining himself or refolding his brother’s hands.

Devin starts with an outside pocket, but his frown only deepens as he opens it and sifts through what looks to be a series of letters. Several spots have been carefully inked out, now impossible to read. Devin glances at Rogier, back to the notes, and then down at Darian.

"You paranoid fucking-" In loo of an insult Devin smacks the stack of letters down on Darian's placid face. The sleeping twin gives no reaction of course. 

"Why not burn them if you're that worried?" Devin asks his unconscious brother. He shakes his head, but despite his quarrelsome words the shadow of a grin pulls at the edges of his mouth. He can't keep the exasperated affection out of his voice as he grumbles, "What a rotten waste of ink. Sentimental pain in the arse… where's your journal?"

The question leads Devin to digging through the main part of Darian’s bag and finding his answer near the bottom. He pulls out a rough looking book, and flips to the latest entry. The strange, scruffy, and suspicious twin sends Rogier one last evaluating look before he starts to skim."Hmm, ration tally, distance covered, root status, moving slow…" Devin's eyes furrow as he glances over several utilitarian entries before flipping back and continuing to read.

"Ah!" The little exclamation is made entirely to himself and his mutters are barely audible across the room. "Curious. Too curious. Oh you were annoyed!" Devin smirks at the journal. "Serves you fucking right D." Devin heaves a sigh and drags a hand down his face, "Twitchy as twigs but doesn't leave me anything useful. Just for that, I'm stealing your quill and nice pen knife. Use it or lose it you prick."

Devin puts his smaller bag down next to Darian's and swaps a few items between them. Journals, perishable rations, and other small personal affects that aren't otherwise shared. One item - a bundle of cloth bound tightly in fabric strips consecrated with Golden Order sigils - he pulls from Darian's bag and carefully palpates across it's entire surface. With a concerned hum, Devin makes a note in Darian's journal, then stuffs the mystery bundle back in the bag. The journal he balances carefully on Darian's face to replace the freshly repacked letters. Only then does he return his attention to the sorcerer.

"So. Rogier is it? And you're interested in Death. Why?" Devin's tone remains critical and his gaze searching, but whatever information he's gathered from Darian and his things has greatly eased his hostility. As he awaits his answer Devin begins donning Darian's armor piece by piece.

sd

[spellbladerogier]

The sudden movement draws Rogier out of his sleep quickly enough, though his mental state being shaken so did not so quickly catch up to him. The first thing his sleep-addled vision catches note of is a face very similar to D’s, unable to note the disheveled hair and stubble right away. For now, the sorcerer offers a lopsided tired sort of smile out of relief, lifting his hands to pat the ones gripping him so tightly and holding him up against the wall.

“Oh, D - I’m so glad you’re finally awake,” he nearly slurs, fighting back a yawn until the man’s words finally catch up to him and he’s far more aware of his surroundings. And the threat. “Darian?” Who was Darian - and then he was far more aware of the cold metal of the knife finally pressed up against his neck.

His eyes flick to the body on the ground. Then back at the man who had a striking resemblance to the other, now pinning him to the wall.

“I’m sorry? What is happening? D- D! Wake up!”

[undeadhunterd]

The soft touch has Devin blinking in surprise, and the pressure on the knife eases ever so slightly with his shock. His eyes narrow in suspicion though as Rogier goes on, and comprehends the situation. 

The sorcerer’s at least gotten an introduction out of Darian, but not his full name or any manner of explanation. That meant very little though. Any number of circumstances could lead to that. 

"He's not going to wake up, you crystal-brained shit!" Devin snaps furious and wanting to cut anymore appeals off at the pass. "Who are you? Why were you draped over him? What's that fucking study back there for?"

He's worked himself up into a proper rage again, pressing on the knife and lifting Rogier higher up the wall, up to his curled shoe tiptoes. "What have you done to my brother!?"

Usually they wouldn't mention each other right away, but them being twins isn't a hard guess. Besides, Devin wants this strange sorcerer to know just how much trouble he's really in.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier was busying himself with his supplies when he finally heard D speak up again. He turned to smile at him and nodded. “Alright, good. Otherwise I’d pester you like a motherhen until you did.”  Chuckling to himself, he set his hat to the side and lit his lantern to keep his study area lit, but not too close to where Darian was. He didn’t want it to bother him while he rested. For now, he’d write his notes, possibly see what scrolls Sellen may have left behind and keep watch for any intrusion.  An hour, however, turned into several, and even Rogier could not keep his eyes open forever even with interesting material to study. His head dropped and nodded off into his free hand that had tried to keep his head up, pen slipping out of his fingers.  And another hour later, he was slumped and snoring faintly - he would be feeling that neck pain once he woke up for certain. But his own conscious worry of being caught had him snapping awake out of his nap, lifting his head with a grimace as he heard a crack.  Rubbing his sore neck, he forced himself to stand up and stretch his legs. It would help him stay awake, given that D was still very much asleep. Chuckling, he wandered back to entrance, pausing when he caught a glimpse of sunlight. Was - was it really morning already? Well - as little sleep he got, at least Darian had his much needed rest. One more stretch and Rogier wandered back to the other room to check on his traveling companion.  “You must have been really exhausted, mm?” He hadn’t spoken too loudly, but he had expected someone as diligent and alert as D to have woken up from that. When nothing happened, the sorcerer frowned, rubbing at a tired eye. “Well…if you haven’t slept in days I can’t blame you for wanting to sleep in.” Rogier let him sleep another hour - which turned into another before he finally knelt down to give D a shake. “Come on now, we should get moving…” Who knew when Sellen would be back, after all. Or someone - or something else.  When he didn’t receive a response, he tried not to panic, leaning down to listen for a heart beat. At the very least D was breathing. “D? D, this better not be some sort of jo- no, you are hardly the type,” he grumbled, half delirious from lack of sleep. This was the longest he’d stayed up for a while. Clearly out of practice. As he tried to push himself off of D’s chest, relived to have heard the sound of a beating heart, he found himself slipping instead. 

It was a comfortable position after all…

Before he could fight the temptation, his eyes had already fluttered shut. Sleep dragged him down.

The next time Rogier awakes, he's being hauled up, thrown to his feet, and slammed against the hard stone wall by a fist bunched in the front of his clothes. Piercing blue eyes, as sharp and angry as the golden dagger pressed against his throat, bore into Rogier’s face.

"Who are you!?" demands a startlingly familiar voice, "What've you done to Darian!?" The speaker is equally so, a spitting replica of D as Rogier knows him, but with details of tone and trim slightly different. The snarl and vicious rage etched on his face are more intense than any emotion D has thus far displayed, the man has a scruffy beard, and never has D deigned to get so close to Rogier.

Granted, it's to keep Rogier pinned and defenseless as he demands answers from the sorcerer. He presses the knife harder against Rogier’s neck, threatening to break the skin, and growls out, "Answer me!"

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

“I’m right here you know,” Rogier said with a flat tone to his drawl before he rolled his eyes at the both of them and went to lead the way. “Hopefully we’ll find out soon. If only Gideon would have just given me the blueprints of this place.” With a hand on his hip, he pulled out a piece of parchment with a smirk. “But when he was dozing off, I managed to do some sketch work. It looks like the hidden room is attached to the lowest floor…”

He hummed before chuckling at Devin’s enthusiasms. “If there are snacks, they may be a bit old…I don’t think many have used it for some time. But I’m sure, since this place is part of a castle, it must be very fancy.”

With the help of his somewhat legible ‘map’, Rogier was able to take them to the hidden room, using what stone keys they had collected to get it open. His eyes widened at the sight. Despite not having been used - or maybe because it hadn’t been used in a while, it was well kept in appearance. A large space, for certain. He stepped in to make room.  “If only I knew of this sooner. Would have been perfect for my legs,” Rogier mused.

"I'll heat and fill the water if you two can find whatever snacks and herbs you want," Darian tells Devin and Rogier. He takes to his assigned job without waiting for confirmation, not wanting either of them straining with heavy buckets. 

"I'll find snacks and you take care of the fancy herbs?" Devin adds, nudging Rogier with his elbow before making his way back to the kitchen to scavenge. He throws together a platter of different cheeses, some hard bread, and cured meats quickly, and returns to see if Darian will let him help with anything else. 

Herbs, oils, and perfumes are a bit harder to come by in the disorganized and decrepit hold. The task takes long enough that by the time Rogier returns, he'd hear the tail end of an argument on his way back. 

Or, half an argument. Darian murmurs his retorts, voice low, self-conscious, and unsure. He speaks in clipped phrases and half-formed thoughts that Devin nonetheless understands perfectly. The "younger" twin, for his part, is doing his best at his own brand of loudly frustrated patience. 

"I know Rogier joining us makes it different, but it's fine okay! We'll figure it out. We always have." Devin's insistent in a way that speaks less to any proof, and more to white knuckled determination.

Darian mutters something to the contrary. A resigned complaint, that much at least is clear.

"Listen," Devin forces his tone to be a little gentler. "If it gets too weird you can get up and leave. As quick as you want, alright? I'll make sure Rogier understands. He won't be angry if he knows why."

The next reply is even quieter, a protest tinged with shame.

"That's because you were being a fucking prick about it! Don't be rotten and it'll all be fine. Besides, if you stick around while you're twitchy you'll end up with your foot in your mouth again. Then Rogier will have good reason to be upset." 

A pause. Darian says nothing.

"Don't give me that look. We both do it, but now we can cover for each other, like when we were kids. You fuck off until you're back in your head, and I'll smooth it over so he knows you're not trying to be an asshole." Devin sounds as confident in his assessment as he does in his plan. Hearkening back to their childhood cracks his voice slightly though, like shale chipped but still trying to hold together.

Darian meets him with the dismal tone Devin had been refusing to let win. 

"You're the one that wanted to try this, and I'm telling you the best way to do it." Proper anger starts creeping into Devin's voice now. "It's how we've always been and it's what Rogier signed on for. Don't make me pull out the "have each other's back" puns you hate."

Another pause.

“Look. We’ve always…" The rage fades as quickly as it came, the enormity of what Devin's trying to put into words leaving no room for it. "We will always be a part of each other, even with this... prosthetic thing I’ve got. We’re not normal. We haven't got a normal life, but what we've a chance at here is better than we ever thought possible. I won't let you fuck it up, so quit worrying."

Darian lets out a sigh heavy enough for two souls and finally speaks loud enough to be overheard…"Fine."

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Had Devin never written to Darian about that little adventure? Rogier had assumed - oh dear. He barely hid a smirk between his fingers as he teasingly looked away at Darian’s questioning stare. “I’ll try anything once,” he answered casually with a light shrug, innocent as could be. His eyes caught Devin’s with amusement.

He fought back a snicker before clearing his throat. “Do not worry, I never intend to do it again. I unfortunately, ah…failed to complete the task.” Still, he eventually clapped his hands together to change the subject. “Anyway! A picnic sounds lovely! But first I think we are all due for a bath! There’s rumor there’s a hidden bath house somewhere here in the hold. If anyone’s to find it, I’m sure we can. We just need more of those keystones…I have at least one on hand.”

Rogier looked between the two hopefully. Gods, they really were filthy as of late. Blood and dirt and death, after everything. 

Darian drags a hand down over his face, takes a deep breath in, and lets it out agonizingly slow. He gives Rogier a an exasperated but otherwise hard to read look, and gives up on figuring out what to say.

“Did you even try and stop him?” he asks Devin instead.

“I never thought he’d succeed!” A shadow of Devin’s ecstatically smug smile from that day reappears. “Have you ever seen one of those things? They’re covered in rocks and they keep beating even after they’re cut out! I wanted to see the look on his face, and...” Instead of finishing Devin just glances at Rogier and devolves into a fit of snickers. Darian gives him a half-hearted shove to make him knock it off.

“Lets just take a bath. A bath sounds great.” Darian is very clearly trying to put what he’s just learned out of his mind.

“Ooh, yes!” Devin recovers from his giggle-fit and asks Rogier, “Do you think the hold will be fancy with it? Curtains, and herbs, and little snacks, like a proper bathhouse? I don’t think either of us have ever been to one of those.” Devin looks to Darian for confirmation, but Darian just rolls his eyes. The slight, embarrassed dusting of pink across his cheeks seems to indicate that Devin’s right however.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

“Well, ideally we would all prefer somewhere safe-” Rogier began, but stopped as Darian too noticed something was going on with Devin. He went silent, brows slightly creased in worry, though Devin seemed to be alright. It was hard not to think that it might have something to do with the primal glinstone - worried Devin wasn’t being truthful about how much pain it could be causing him, but he knew pestering Devin wouldn’t get him anywhere either.

Rogier forced a small smile and nodded at the comment with a light chuckle. “I was thinking the small island that holds the Church of Dragon Communion. So long as we travel by grace, we shouldn’t disturb the beastmen in the caves. I remember us going there once during our earlier travels together.”

"The…what." Darian's face falls into its very carefully neutral state for when he really doesn't want to believe what he's hearing. Devin’s, meanwhile, breaks into a wide grin.

"Oh, perfect!" The memories of he and Rogier's last visit to the little island allow Devin to once again bury his confusing agonies as he claps his hands together. "Darian can make a picnic, or…" Devin shoots Rogier a wolfish smile, "Do you fancy snacking on another dragon heart?"

"I can, but don't volunt- wait…" Darian's passing irritation at Devin turns into a 'tell me you didn't' expression of horror as he slowly turns to look at Rogier.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier was quick to stop the swinging of the jewel, ready to give a retort of his own but was made silent as Darian spoke his apparent knowledge. Well - if they were both wrong then it wasn’t a terrible loss, now, was it? 

He smirked a bit before chuckling behind his hand and lightly patting Devin’s shoulder. “Well, whatever the case, maybe we could all use some fresh air, mm? And I need to give my legs some exercise.” 

“How do you know that!?” Devin jabs a demanding finger at his brother. Darian shrugs in response, but offers an explanation after his already understated mirth settles down.

“I was planning to get you a spinning wheel someday, but it took a while. Then we started training, and it fell to the wayside. Now...” Darian grips the crown of Devin’s head with the tips of his fingers and turns him towards Rogier, “Quit being rude.” Darian heads his own demands as well and answers Rogier, letting Devin sort out his bemusement on his own. “Did you have anywhere in mind?”

Devin’s eyes stay locked on Darian the whole time, mouth hanging open as his expression moves through shock, indignation, and then back to that same restless ache he felt when Darian first brought up his spinning. He finally closes his mouth in an effort to swallow down the anguish brewing in his stomach and threatening to bubble into his throat. No matter what form it overflows in, be it bile or babble, it won’t be pleasant for anyone.

The most frustrating part is Devin doesn’t know why he keeps reacting so strongly to to this shit. It makes his stomach turn so violently he’s worried he’ll snap the glintstone in two, and he’s sure his hands must be shaking. It’s a stupid job he was given so he wouldn’t make trouble and a gift Darian never followed through with, so why is it suddenly making him want to claw at his own skin and scream? Devin wants to tear his way through time and get back something he already has. He already has his brother back, so why does it feel like he’s losing him allover again. They’re talking about a nonexistent fucking spinning wheel!

Devin’s jolted out of his spiraling thoughts when Darian - noticing his lack of responsiveness and tension - drops his palm to the top of Devin’s head and gently, albeit literally, shakes Devin out of it.

“Ack, quit it!” Devin ducks away from his brother’s hand, seizing the opportunity Darian’s given him to be grumpy. He crosses his arms and blows some hair out of his face. His emotions are still roiling too much for him to meet anyone’s eye, but they are starting to simmer down so he knocks his shoulder into Darian in a strange mix of retaliation and thanks, then nods to Rogier. “Best idea I’ve heard all day. The hold is too stuffy for anything but reading moldy old books and passing out anyway.”

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

“I-” Rogier’s face goes explicitly red from both the display Devin was giving and his embarrassment at being incorrect. He reaches to snatch for his hat back, huffing at Devin’s antics. 

“Listen here, I stayed far away from such things at the time because I was terrible at it. They all do the same thing, don’t they? What does it matter?” He practically pouted, though there wasn’t any real hurt behind his behavior.

“It matters cause the people who have spinning wheels either only spin or are rich enough to see them used as toys but never touch a spindle in their lives.” Devin gives an absolutely devilish grin and flicks Rogier’s hat gem again now that it’s back in its rightful place. “I guess we know which one you were!”

“Well, not technically...” Darian interjects with gleam in his eye as teasing as his brother’s. Devin’s head snaps to Darian and before his confusion to settle into anger or smarm, Darian continues. “They’re not drop spindles, but spindles are a part of spinning wheels, and some versions are actually called wheel-driven or just wheel spindles. In a way, you’re both wrong.”

Devin’s jaw drops practically to the floor, as he stares at Darian’s smug face with utter betrayal.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier was not too sure if he should butt into the conversation, seeing as this was a bit personal from what he gathered. At the end, though, he held out a hand placatingly at Devin. “We could look to see if the basement of the hold has a spindle wheel somewhere, if you change your mind.”

Eventually, though, the sorcerer used his staff to help push himself back onto his feet. The ointment had done a good job in lessening the pain, but he needed to stretch his legs a bit. “We can go look now, unless there’s somewhere else you’d like to go?”

Devin starts curling in on himself, trying to come up with some excuse or explanation for his refusal of both Darian and Rogier’s well-intentioned suggestions. He feels so terrible for pressing Rogier into snapping, then overreacting to the snap, and now continuing to cause trouble. Before further unnecessary yet inescapable misery can set in two little words jolt him out of his spiral.

“Spindle wheel?” he asks, voice going high with amused incredulity. “Do you mean spindle whorl, or maybe spinning wheel?” A grin breaks across Devin’s face as he finally trots back over, sweeping Rogier’s hat up off the table as he goes. He plunks it down on his own head with the gem hanging in front of his face.

“Don’t tell me you were such a shiny rich kid you don’t even know the difference.” On the word shiny Devin flicks the gemstone, and starts wobbling his head back and froth to keep it swinging as he teases Rogier. Darian averts his eyes from the whole display and very firmly doesn’t laugh. He’s being so strong about it.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier quietly shook his head, feeling he’d already done enough to make himself look pathetic, frowning at himself. Still, he appreciated the reassurance and gently squeezed Darian’s hand. “Really, I’ll be fine. Is there…anything you both would like to do while we have the rest of the day? Perhaps something you two haven’t had a chance to do together that you always wanted to do.” A change of subject was greatly needed, he felt.

Darian shrugs while Devin takes a deep breath like he’s about to say something smartassed but cuts himself off before he even begins. Instead he glances guiltily over his shoulder, only to see Darian doing the same except with a challenging arch to his eyebrow. Devin swears under his breath and turns back to the dishes. Finding there’s none left to clean, he curses again and leans over the basin like it’ll give him answers or reach up and drown him. Either works.

Darian frowns at the display, knowing something’s gotten into his brother.

“Do you still have your spindle?” It’s an innocent question in Darian’s mind, but Devin feels like he’s been grabbed by the guts and yanked back in time. The sense memory of lying on his side, one hand pulling flax from a distaff while he endlessly flicks a spindle with the other, making him feel lightheaded for a moment.

“I haven’t spun since we were...” Devin drags a hand down his face, “By the branches, fucking twelve?” He looks at his brother with an unreadable emotion on his face, but a lot of it. Darian just blinks, knowing the weight of the statement but not really knowing what to say to it. Almost thirteen is what Devin would have answered had Darian been the one to speak. “Why the fuck would I still have a spindle?”

Darian shrugs again, not commenting Devin’s still faraway tone. “You used to spin whenever you’d get like this.”

That seems to bring Devin back to the present as he leans against the basin and runs a hand through his hair with a shaky sigh. When he looks up again there’s a weighty sadness in his eyes, though Devin couldn’t say why if asked.

“We’re not kids anymore, Darian. I can’t just...” Devin pauses long enough to mimic flicking a spindle a couple times, “spin myself still again.”

“Why not?” Darian asks. The question makes Devin stop breathing, because on one hand, why not? But on the other Devin doesn’t have words for how much he can’t anymore. He doesn’t have words for how cold he felt trying to spin and knowing he didn’t have to mind clattering the spindle against the floor because the sound wouldn’t wake his brother. Not anymore.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

He could feel his throat tightening as Devin drew away, apologetic for his outburst. But Rogier was thankful for the space, at least, and their apology. Turning his eyes away from Devin’s furious work of the dishes, he looked back at Darian and nodded, finding his voice again.

“Yes, I just…mm, sometimes I’ve found myself a bit overwhelmed. I suppose, since the deathblight has numbed certain parts of myself, I’ve grown more sensitive elsewhere.” He gave a sardonic smile. “I will be fine, though, I think. Chest’s just a bit sore.” Rogier glanced back at Devin, sighing. “And I’m sorry for raising my voice, I’m not upset with either of you. Suppose I’m just anxious about what will eventually be coming, and I want to enjoy this while it lasts.”

Darian hums and strokes the back of Rogier’s hand with his thumb, concern leaving subtle creases in his brow. Devin meanwhile starts quietly cursing himself as he continues to attack the dishes.

“No harm done.” Darian speaks for the both of them again as he reassures Rogier. He keeps his voice low and soft as if to make up for his brother’s earlier harshness, something Devin quietly appreciates. “Is there anything we can do?”

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier could feel the pain in his chest and legs acting up again, as if that terrible scar in the middle was burning. Their words were becoming muffled as blood rushed to his ears and made him feel lightheaded from the pain. 

“Can we just-” he suddenly raised his voice, startling even himself as he stopped and took a breath to steady himself. “…let this go for now, and have a pleasant day until the time comes?”  He forced a smile at them both. “Please?”

Devin, already wound up from his anger at Fia and argument with Darian, nearly jumps out of his own skin at Rogier’s outburst. He grunts, clutching one hand to the tensed but still healing muscles of his abdomen, and sputters through the rest of Rogier’s words.

“That’s what I was-” he starts to protest, only to catch a glare from Darian and realize his own mistake at the same time. He stands, eyes wide and hands clenching and unclenching, looking all the world like a mad hound about to start pacing in it’s pen.

“I’m going to do the dishes!” True to his announcement, Devin starts gathering up all the still dirty cooking and eating implements and brings them over to large basin to start furiously scrubbing at. Darian sighs as he watches Devin flee and start taking everything out on cooking grease.

“We’re sorry,” Darian murmurs to Rogier. It strikes him for just a moment how easily and genuinely it comes out. He remembers how when they were young they’d trade off apologizing whenever the other was overwhelmed, since people tended not to care which of them it came from so long as “D” was sorry. Devin must be recalling the same thing, because the scrubbing comes to a momentary halt. Whatever he’s thinking he keeps it to himself and goes back to his task without denying the apology. Darian at least knows from experience that’s as good as agreement, cause when Devin’s not sorry he’s quite vocal about it.

“Are you alright?” Darian gives Rogier’s hand another squeeze but loosens his grip considerably afterwards should Rogier want the space to pull away.

[undeadhunterd]

spellbladerogier​:

Rogier knew this topic would be difficult - and even more so now that both of them were here. Despite their clear protective nature of him in this moment, he couldn’t help but feel small and suffocated. He closed his eyes to reign in his conflicting emotions on the matter.

“She only thought she had to kill Darian to get the cursemark you stole from Godwyn, Devin,” he said calmly, sighing. “Once she knows I have it and am working with her ideals, she won’t find either of you an active threat. Especially now that you want to right things as much as we do.”

The question on whether they even needed her put a bad taste in his mouth.

“And she -” Was there for him when he was at his worst, comforted him, listened, cleaned his festering wounds… “She is my dear friend. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without her aid. It is only fair. And…she knows how to make a mending rune. Without her guidance, I fear I may make a mistake. She - she wants to make the mending rune herself, but I am sure I can convince her to let me do it instead.” He looks between them both, almost pleadingly. 

“I know I haven’t explained entirely what that entails…but I’m sure you would much prefer she make the mending rune,” he said with a forced laugh as he looked away, not exactly explaining the method but clearly hinting that it wasn’t…pleasant. “I’d rather take the burden, however. For all our sakes.” He keeps his hands on both of theirs, giving a gentle squeeze. 

“I promise I’ll explain more, but only after I speak with Fia. You are welcome to join us, if she’ll allow it.”

“Uuuh,” Devin starts, skepticism utterly saturating his tone. He doesn’t get any further than that.

“Devin.” The younger twin’s eyes flick up at the sound of Darian’s Older Brother Voice, and meet hard stare of disapproval.

“Oh you’ve got to be joking.” Despite Devin’s grousing, Darian’s expression holds firm. He glances meaningfully down at Devin’s stomach, and then back up at his face with a pointedly cocked eyebrow.

“Don’t you play that fucking card with me!” Devin protests, sitting up straighter. He puts a protective arm around his middle as he glares at his brother, but it’s all for not. Darian remains unmoved, going so far as to tilt his nose up ever so slightly in disapproval.

“You’re really not going to budge on this are you?” Devin’s scowl frames the question nicely, his frustration with the whole situation aimed at Darian through a fierce glower. All Devin gets in return is a scoff of confirmation from his brother, Darian’s hand tightening on Rogier’s to clearly indicate who’s side he’s on.

With two against one Devin deflates around a weighty huff of defeat. His nose crinkles as he shoots one last glare at Darian before once again addressing Rogier.

“Fine. Fine, but you better explain once we talk to Fia, because none of what you just said makes any sense.” Devin crosses his arms and sits forward on the bench, his obvious frustration only fulling his urge to move and get this over with.

“That’s all he asked for,” Darian tells his brother, the tiniest bit smarmy.

“Shut it, soul hog!” Devin snaps back, to which Darian can only blink in confused offense.