[PRP] TKO (shiloh & jeremiah)

[azuredreams]

"No, if he had talked to you-" Jeremiah shook his head. "I would know." It was left that because the fetch that had replaced him had either caused severe damage or played his role so well that people did not question anything. Never mind that it had gloated about each relationship, each tie to another that it had potentially destroyed.

He was quiet as Shiloh talked, understanding in his blue-green eyes. The tone of voice, even the way he sounded- Jeremiah understood far too well because he remembered the pieces he had become and what had been reformed with his time at Court.

"So far as I am aware," his voice dropped lower, "I was the only one taken by Ezra. Melany was otherwise out of there until the fetch-" A twitch in his jaw; a flash in his mind of his hands around its throat. "The fetch escorted her back like royalty." Fingers tapped against the table, Jeremiah weighing things.

"Algie was taken." Eyes raised to focus on Shiloh. "... but it was by Thorne."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh's heart jumped into his throat, "But Thorne wouldn't--!"

The sentence hung in the air, rang out in silence as Shiloh sat back down. His knuckles were white against the edge of the table that he gripped. There was the confirmation that Melany was alive too, but he didn't focus on it, couldnt focus on it, couldn't consider it. His head swelled with rage and pain and hurt. He heaved a slow breath.

"I... I thought he wouldn't. I thought none of us would." He shook his head, "Not after that. He didn't--Thorne didn't... Thorne didn't hurt him did he?" He could barely consider the thought and he felt disgusting for asking, but it left his lips before he could be controlled by his remorse. Maybe Beel was right. Maybe he was the black sheep for not tithing anyone. Maybe he was terrible at being a Noble.

"I'm sorry." It was rare for Shiloh to apologize, but he was at a loss for words.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"No, don't-" Jeremiah let out a breath. "Don't say sorry or apologize. Thorne and Algie ... they talked about it before it happened." There was a drop briefly in temperature, in Jeremiah, and he tried to reign it in but there really was nothing to do about it.

Weeks later and he still was not necessarily comfortable with what happened. "For Algie it was ... training. To be stronger, to help Noeh, to help me." Because Jeremiah was constantly sinking deeper and deeper and Algie was always the one that had to pick the pieces up. "It wasn't easy and parts of it were hard. He said Mare, Thorne's fetch, oversaw most of it but, no, he wasn't hurt."

Another beat, Jeremiah taking a drink. "It wasn't like what you went through or what I went through." Algie had come through his trial reinforced and strengthened. His mind was intact and his resolve stronger. Nothing had been broken.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

That at least seemed to settle Shiloh considerably; the fear and uncertainty left his eyes and his grip loosened on the table. After a few solid breaths, he braved his milk again, taking a long sip from the glass. He thought about Jamie for a moment while his thoughts processed; would he be tempted by that path too, if not for his status as a Moonwalker?

Being stronger... helping the ones you loved... these were things Shiloh took with him after his tithing. They were things that helped him through all the nights where he couldn't sleep, or all the afternoons where it took every ounce of willpower to force his lunch down. Even now, he doubted if he was truly healed or truly stronger. Melany had taught him obedience, but was there really salvation in discipline?

His next exhale shuddered a little as if he had caught a chill. "That... that's good." He wondered if any of the other Nobles—Rabbit or Hux or Alois—if they had taken tithes themselves, but he wasn't nearly as close to them as he had been to Thorne. "I guess I can understand it..." he shook his head, "Feeling powerless, wanting power. I guess I was kinda like that before I got tithed. Ain't all it's cracked up to be."

But he digressed. "Didn't mean for everything to get all heavy, Gramps." He cracked a weak grin, "I guess if anyone's gonna join the club, I'm glad it's you 'n Alg. I haven't actually checked into Court yet in this world, but..." he shrugged, "I'm worried about running into her, but I'm worried about Noeh too..."

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Myself as well," Jeremiah admitted, hands joined and his forefingers steepled together. He had been lost, in pieces, and found himself within the Court, though the process was certainly something that had- It had reshaped him, given him the things that Ezra had told him he needed.

At his lowest, when he had been burned and bedridden, it had been knowing he was becoming stronger for those he loved - for Algie - that had given him strength to move on. That he would be able to do anything, that he could handle it and be willing to accept what came of the consequences.

"Given that the Court is involved, heavy is expected." He shook his head, watching closely as both her and Noeh came up. No one knew, not yet, just how close Alg and himself were potentially tied to the Court. "I haven't myself beyond checking to know if Fell and Adze are still there." The fetches had been alright and communicated as much. "They were aware of something happening on this side, the shift, but not the specifics."

A breath was let out, his hand running through his hair. "Considering her status as the Sorrowful One, I am also worried myself about Noeh." Since she possibly had ties to Adoelle much in the same way that Pax had with Heliodora. "We do not know what all these changes could mean for the Court, if there are any."

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Her status..." he trailed off, confusion showing on his face. Seemed like Shiloh hadn't received the memo on Noeh's true roll in the court. "Then... the stakes are even higher." He wondered just how Melany had usurped the court like that, then.

"I imagine Beel's just gonna tell me the same, then." He shook his head, "I have to check on Noeh--make sure she's okay--she was the only good thing about that place Mercer." His eyes sparked with something like hope, "I have a hand in the magic of this world now. Maybe I can do something--maybe I can make sure it doesn't fall back into Mel--" He stopped, nearly choked again, but forced himself forward "--into Melany's hands again."

He seemed resolute at least. That same feeling of optimism he had back in the void was steadily rebuilding-- the thought that he could change things, make impacts, do things for the better. He didn't have to be some dumb ignorant teenager.

azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"They are," Jeremiah agreed, listening to Shiloh and then nodding. The stakes were higher than ever after the changes. "If there's anything that can be done, to give her the Court back or to free her or anything- then I will help, so will Alg. There's so much potential within that place and we could do better than what has been done ..."

Still it was good to know that Noeh was the good thing about that place, though he had not really had a personal encounter on his own. Not like Algie had, not like others had. His attachment was through others and who she was- who she might be.

His fingers tapped on the table a moment before he spoke again. "How about it, Shiloh? Not right now because we're still dealing with all the small shifts but let's focus on the Court, what can be done to help Noeh and better it." Though they were reasonably new nobles, there still had to be things they could do to change things.

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

Shiloh nodded, "I'd like that a lot, Mercer." He grappled for his drink, furious with his sipping (or maybe just energetic). He still had a lot to mull over with there being new nobility in the Court and the like, but he wasn't going to let it get in the way. It wasn't the time to mull over the past when they had so much to do going forward.

"You probably have easier access to the others, but maybe we can, like..." He shuffled with the glass, "Like, do some crazy recon s**t and meet up again and share what we figured out? Once things settle down a little, I mean."

"Oh but, I guess we should finish the fries..." He reached over for one, not minding the fact that they were now lukewarm.

azuredreams

fade 2 black on ur next post? O:

 

[azuredreams]

"I was planning on it but I'll keep you in the loop if there's anything major going on. I know that I need to check in with Fell because there's something that I need to see too ..." Jeremiah shook his head. "Hopefully it isn't another othercreature that wants to go to Disney World again."

... because that was one thing he could live without dealing with but he remembered, far too well, the amount of letters and the like that Ezra had him handle. "Finish the fries, get real food, plot to overtake the Court. Sounds like a good meal, doesn't it?" Jeremiah had an amused look on his face, for all the seriousness that was going on.

He was reaching for a fry himself but it was good to know that there was possibly hope in the future when it came to the Court.

Melancholies