to mal, feat. orphan angst

[solmate]

I miss you.

Comments

[solmate]

[ ????????? ]

What happened? Where are you?

[usilivat]

Someone pulled me out of a well.

[ Written text doesn't fully capture how resentful Mal is about this event. ]

I'm in a castle. Thorne.
Are you safe?

[ Text also doesn't capture the increasing agitation around this question. Were Mal writing instead frowning over every thought, he might be pressing the point of his pen into paper hard enough to tear. ]

[solmate]

[ Now that's just more confusing. ]

Yeah. Yeah I'm safe. But you need to leave and get to the Free Cities.

Kirigan is at the castle.

[usilivat]

I haven't seen him.

[ Reassurance, but not a promise that he won't go looking.

However— ]

Where is the Free Cities from here? Can you draw me a map?

[ Is this method of communication set up for that? Mal has already lifted his plate from the table, begun the brisk walk back to his room. ]

Is the danger here Kirigan, or something else?

[solmate]

[ Well dang. Alina knows he's definitely going to find Kirigan now. Maybe he'll hit him in the head with a shovel again. ]

We took a portal.

[ You don't remember? But she doesn't ask because the question is useless. Of course he doesn't. ]

I don't think you could make it on foot. And there's a desert between us. I've mapped out some of the Free Cities but not too far beyond it.

And I don't know. Both maybe. I don't trust anyone there. They put some of is in prison and tried to execute another. That's when some of us escaped.

Is Mage Jolene there?

[usilivat]

[ There is a pause here.

Mal considers all of what she's said. A portal. (What?) A desert between them. (Ugh.) Prison. Executions. (A bad sign.)

And mostly, he considers that it will be difficult to get to her, given all that she's told him. ]

I don't know. I can ask after her.
Is it safe to ask after her?

[solmate]

It's probably not anymore dangerous than asking any other questions there.

[ #Helpful, thanks Alina. ]

[usilivat]

[ That doesn't sound promising. ]

Is there no other way out but through a portal?

[solmate]

I don't know. I haven't exactly been eager to make it back to the castle.

There are people I trust here. They can help me get to you.

[usilivat]

Don't come here.

[ Immediate, even without full understanding of what exactly the danger here is.

There's something. They'd left for a reason, even if he can't remember it. And the Darkling is here. That is more than enough reason to stay away. ]

I'll find my way to you. Once I get my bearings, I'll figure a way out. We found one before, didn't we?

[solmate]

I am not going to let you die crossing a desert, Malyen Oretsev.
Believe it or not I actually have the advantage since you've apparently got a bought of amnesia.

[usilivat]

I'm not going to die crossing a desert.

[ The first, immediate rebuttal. He's crossed harsher terrain, hasn't he?

But, in a more conciliatory approach— ]

I'll find another way. If you left before, you had a reason. Stay where you are. I won't try to leave without telling you first, I promise.

What do you mean, amnesia?

[solmate]

You stay where you are. At least they'll be witnesses if anyone tries anything.

[ Also a disadvantage. But you know. ]

We left the Castle through the portal together. We were here until you disappeared. You really don't remember anything?