[ video ]

[shall_yield_us]

[ One angel + a myriad of candy pieces = apparently far too much chewing, as he takes one every so often.

Munch. Munch. Crunch.

(And the occasional wince, maybe when the candy-induced vision's a little unkind.) ]


Oh, enough with the warnings and the ever-weeping Cassandras. Shall we make a contest of it, then? A wager?

Whose tongue can take the taste of more of these? Come, come, no need to be shy. It's only indescribable humiliation for someone else, after all.

Comments

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

And what is it you do, hmmm?

( video. )

[feigns]

I help keep the peace between Downworlders. [ a quirk of his lips and a shrug. ] And deal with any demons that feel like getting in the way.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

You're perfectly aware the regionalisms make it oh-so-difficult to follow, don't play coy.

( video. )

[feigns]

Vampires and werewolves and warlocks and Fair Folk, primarily speaking.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

Oh, El Above, a law enforcer.

( video. )

[feigns]

I'm not considered very promising, if you find it at all comforting.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

Too impatient?

( video. )

[feigns]

Full of disregard, I believe was the phrase.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

Nothing terribly wrong with insubordination. The man to dismiss you for it is a fool.

( video. )

[feigns]

Oh, they keep me around — it's their duty, until I turn eighteen.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

[ The. Longest. Pause. ]



...you're how old?

( video. )

[feigns]

Seventeen.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

I don't believe you're old enough for half our conversations.

( video. )

[feigns]

Am I not? What a mistake I've made.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

No, mine. You're a child. You're supposed to be spared, you're only a child. Hmmmm. Well, nothing to do now.

( video. )

[feigns]

[ he lets out a short laugh at that. ]

Age grants no reprieve.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

You'd say that, you're young and a rebel and you think, well, I'm a man grown! And you're not. No, not in the slightest.

( video. )

[feigns]

—You sound like that damned warlock. [ uttered more to himself than to rosiel. ] Fine. I'm a child and my experiences are entirely that of a child's and perhaps, once I'm older — if I am to become much older — I'll look back on everything that has occurred in my life up to this point with jocularity, for life will undoubtedly be that much harder and more difficult, will it not?

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

No. Not for you. You disgust me. Difficulty won't be a life for you, nor inconvenience. Shall I tell you your life? I'll want a coin for it. Shall I, you wretch?

( video. )

[feigns]

No. I've had enough of this.

( video. )

[shall_yield_us]

Tsk, too late. You, my little lord, you're not meant for pain - not for pain that lingers, at the very least. You're insufferable, but for every darling beast there's lovers, or friends, or whores to take your hands in theirs and tell you - 'Fair prince, fair prince, you are noble.'

You're not noble, but you are a fool, and you will like the sound and the way of nobility, and suddenly, and inexplicably, and maybe like Narcissus - though I shan't call you after him again, that's dull, utterly dull - you'll fall down the rabbit hole and into the sweetest love with this image of yourself. This noble, this heroic, this grand and well doing you.

[ Laughter. ]

And then you'll do the noble done thing, you'll become noble, you will be that epitome, partly in instinct, partly out of arrogance, partly to be contrary. And in spite of whatever the plague-addled idiots you unquestionably visit for your faint education might tell you - people of noble spirit never suffer. They live a very long and very happy and very enviable life, or they die quickly - and they're remembered and praised and adored. All hail.