KittytKeMeLt
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- Dec 8, 2010
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'You know what needs to be done.' I touched the hilt of my dagger as I spoke. 'In some corner of your genius mind, you know what deed needs to be performed. '
He said nothing, just watched the little candle that illuminated the room. The tiny flame seemed to intrigue him, fixate him. It cast flickering shadows across the walls and distorted his face though an interplay light and darkness. His expression was fathomless.
I tried again. 'I know how you feel about this kind of murder -'
'About (i) all (/i) murder, Alexia. Bloodshed is wrong.' He straightened up and reached out toward the flame as if to feel the radiating heat against his palm. 'But this is war, and there is no war without killing,' he added thoughtfully.
I noticed a few whitish pellets on the ground nearby. With the pressure of Varlin's gaze on me, I walked over and picked them up with my gloved hand.
'Rat poison?' Varlin asked softly.
I looked around at him. 'Made with arsenic. If we soak the pellets, the poison will combine with the water and create for us a deadly fluid. I could pour it in his wine.'
He stared at the pellets for a long time, his face still obscured by candlelight. When I caught a glimpse of his expression, I saw nothing but grave sincerity and deep thought. Murder was one thing. The assassination of royalty was a whole other. Yet what other choice did we have? With Emperor Fendrick dead, his son Tobias would be able to take the throne. Tobias would side with us in the war. It just made sense.
Eventually, Varlin's words cut through my thoughts. 'Bloodshed is wrong.'
It was his last word on the matter, and I understood what he meant. Pocketing the pellets, I replied, 'Then I'll shed no blood.'
He nodded. 'Do it tonight. Make sure nobody sees.'
~~
This is in the middle of book five of a series, so people already know these characters. Varlin tends to speak with hints and suggestions to his tone, he rarely says what he's thinking. Do you understand what's happening here?
Thanks!
(Oh, and I added a little part in the middle about Fendrick - that isn't in the manuscript, I threw it in so that it would make more sense to you guys.)
@Pud: Yes or no. This is just written, I want to edit it myself before I ask for critique. Mind you, I guess all critique is useful, so....both
He said nothing, just watched the little candle that illuminated the room. The tiny flame seemed to intrigue him, fixate him. It cast flickering shadows across the walls and distorted his face though an interplay light and darkness. His expression was fathomless.
I tried again. 'I know how you feel about this kind of murder -'
'About (i) all (/i) murder, Alexia. Bloodshed is wrong.' He straightened up and reached out toward the flame as if to feel the radiating heat against his palm. 'But this is war, and there is no war without killing,' he added thoughtfully.
I noticed a few whitish pellets on the ground nearby. With the pressure of Varlin's gaze on me, I walked over and picked them up with my gloved hand.
'Rat poison?' Varlin asked softly.
I looked around at him. 'Made with arsenic. If we soak the pellets, the poison will combine with the water and create for us a deadly fluid. I could pour it in his wine.'
He stared at the pellets for a long time, his face still obscured by candlelight. When I caught a glimpse of his expression, I saw nothing but grave sincerity and deep thought. Murder was one thing. The assassination of royalty was a whole other. Yet what other choice did we have? With Emperor Fendrick dead, his son Tobias would be able to take the throne. Tobias would side with us in the war. It just made sense.
Eventually, Varlin's words cut through my thoughts. 'Bloodshed is wrong.'
It was his last word on the matter, and I understood what he meant. Pocketing the pellets, I replied, 'Then I'll shed no blood.'
He nodded. 'Do it tonight. Make sure nobody sees.'
~~
This is in the middle of book five of a series, so people already know these characters. Varlin tends to speak with hints and suggestions to his tone, he rarely says what he's thinking. Do you understand what's happening here?
Thanks!
(Oh, and I added a little part in the middle about Fendrick - that isn't in the manuscript, I threw it in so that it would make more sense to you guys.)
@Pud: Yes or no. This is just written, I want to edit it myself before I ask for critique. Mind you, I guess all critique is useful, so....both