Of Shadows and Swords (Chiarra)

Lucius let Archer go, only making a halfhearted attempt to keep him. But it was his fault the thief had almost died anyway, and he was safer in other hands. Hands that weren't Lucius'. Hands that hadn't just sprayed blood on the ground and created so much destruction. He startled a bit, when Natalie's voice came from near him, and just turned his head away, beginning to walk because the twilight had already passed almost fully into night and he wanted nothing more than to find a place to curl up and hide for a long time. ". . . Neither have I." He needed first to wash the blood from his hands, but it would never leave his soul.
 
"Lucius," Natalie said, running after him. She touched his shoulder gently. "Everything's going to be okay," she said trying to cheer him up. "Archer will be fine, you stopped that rogue Raven from killing any more of our kind and getting away with it. It's going to be okay." 
((Have to go do chores))
 
Lucius flinched away from her touch instinctively, afraid of his own body and strength and what he might do if that ever happened again. "Yeah," He managed, faintly and robotically, and swallowed down the lump in his throat as he started to move away again. "Just fine." Nothing was fine. What was wrong with her and all of them? Nothing would be fine anymore. Archer had almost died and Lucius . . . Lucius had become a monster. He already had been one, the whole time, just waiting for someone to pull the trigger. He realized that now.
 
Natalie frowned and watched as he walked away. He didn't realize that he had saved others from being killed, innocent others. He didn't realize just how many of his kind Norik had betrayed. He needed space though, she realized that.


Melody sat by Archers side, waiting on him to wake up. She wouldn't leave him again, for anything.
 
Archer woke perhaps an hour after it had all happened, and managed a faint groan upon waking, an ache in his back and shoulders that hadn't been there before. "W' 'appen . . ." God, his tongue didn't even work right. How long had he been asleep? Had Lucius left to go fight that creep without Archer getting to talk to him?
 
Melody felt relief when Archer woke up. "Shh," she said brushing the cool wet cloth over his forehead. "It's okay. Lucius is fine and that man is dead. Everything's okay. Just be still. Alrin healed you up, but you still need to rest while your body continues to heal." Tears of relief could be seen in her eyes, and it was obvious just how worried she had been.


"Here," she said holding a cup of water to his mouth that Natalie had brought in to her. "Drink this."
 
Archer's head swam as he tried to locate the source of the voice, and didn't quite focus when they found Natalie but at least he relaxed enough to let her tilt his head up and help him drink. When he had taken a few swallows, he just laid there looking up at her, expression confused. "What . . . I missed all of it. . . What happened?"
 
((That was Melody talking, Natalie had just brought in some more water for her at some point. She's not there. Sorry for not making that clear))


Melody bit her lip and reluctantly said, "Norick he....he stabbed you in the back...literally with a shadow blade. I don't know how Lucius did it, but he took care of it and Alrin wasn't needed except to heal you. I only know that much, I wasn't there until the end when I helped bring you back here."
 
((Oh, woops, no that was my bad. I accidentally put Natalie instead of Melody. I meant Melody lol You were fine))


"Took -" Archer struggled to sit up. "Took care of it? Lucius killed him? Where is he? I have to - I have to . . ." God, he had to stop the world from spinning and the pain in his back from spreading down all his extremities. But where was Lucius? Archer had to talk to him. This was not okay, not in Lucius' eyes.
 
((Okay then lol. Hate when that happens))


She gently pushed him back down onto the bed and said, "Lie still, I'll go get him."


She kissed him briefly before getting up and leaving the tent a few minutes. "Lucius!" she called out. "Archer's up!" Hopefully that would get him to come and see him.
 
Lucius heard, when Melody shouted for him, but didn't move. He stayed curled up in his hiding spot with his arms around his knees, his face half hidden and his eyes sorrowfully brooding. He lifted a hand slightly and a shadow bird formed before him, a faint flick of his fingers sending it towards where Melody was. He could see through it, if he closed his actual eyes, and wrapped his arms around his head so he could hear as well, landing the bird lightly on her shoulder and giving its wings a little flutter. He wasn't coming out, but she could bring the bird back to Archer.
 
((I can't believe were on page 137 lol))


Melody saw the bird and realized that Lucius wasn't coming out, but he had heard her. "Lucius," she said. "Archer really wants to talk to you, but he can't get up just yet. He's worried about you."
 
Lucius shook his head, and had the bird do the same, gesturing vaguely forward with a wing in a clear sign of 'walk me to him'. He didn't want to come out yet. He couldn't.
 
Sighing softly, she carried the bird back to Archer and showed the bird to him. "Lucius won't come out," she said. "So he sent this instead so he can see how your doing." She was worried for the both of them.
 
Archer blinked slowly at the bird and just gestured slightly with a hand for it to come closer. It hopped off Melody's hand to flutter down and land next to Archer's head, head tilted to the side at him. Archer sighed softly and raised a hand enough to touch it, gently. "I'm all right. . ." He smiled faintly. "Sore as hell, but all right. . . Come out, Lucius. Please? We have to talk about this. You know I'll get up and look for you myself if you don't come here soon."
 
Melody sat by them and listened to them talk. "And you know he's not in any condition to come look for you," she said, hoping that would goad him into coming.
 
Archer frowned slightly, about to say more, but the bird shook its head and shadows drifted up from it to form words in the air. Not now. They said. Ill come out later. I promise. Just not now.





Archer heaved a sigh, winced at the shift, and finally conceded the point. "All right. . . All right, ill let you hide. But you come see me before sun up, or ill come to you instead." He knew Lucius wouldn't want him hurt.
 
Melody sighed softly and scooted closer to Archer when the words were gone. She grabbed his hand gently and asked, "Do you need anything? More water, pillows, what?"
 
Archer sighed and just shook his head when the bird was gone. "I'm fine, Melody. I'll just rest a while. . ." But he knew she wanted to help somehow, so he just reached carefully to pat her hand. "Water would be nice."
 
She nodded and got up to get him some fresh water. When she came back she helped him sit up so he could drink some. When he was done, she held onto his hand as he laid back down and she watched over him. Despite the fact she knew he was going to be okay, she couldn't help but worry over him.
 
Archer laid back carefully and just held Melody's hand, let her worry over him as she liked. He drifted in and out of sleep for a while, and it was only when the first beginnings of light began to show from outside that footsteps finally approached the tent they were in. Lucius slipped inside, carefully, glancing behind him like he was trying not to be followed, and somehow he looked years older. His expression was drawn and his eyes somewhat vacant, and Archer didnt like it.


Lucius settled on his knees next to Archer, eyes running back and forth over the thief's torso like he could see through it to the wound that no longer existed beneath. His fingers curled tight over his knees and for a long moment there was silence.


Archer tried to break it, gently, starting to reach out to his friend. "Lu . . ."


And Lucius just . . . broke. He all but collapsed forward, clinging to Archer's shirt with both hand and burying his face in the thief's ribs, shaking like he might just fall apart from it and breathing like he would cry but shedding no actual tears. "I'm sorry. . ." He managed, voice thick and strained and hurt. "I'm sorry, Arch. . . I'm so sorry. . ."


((I'd like to take this time to apologize for how slow and mediocre my replies have been lately. On too of being very busy with work and other things, I've had some deeply troubling things happening in the world of a family I hold very dear, and it's had me on edge for a good while. Sometimes I only reply to a couple of rps at a time, if I feel like I can't handle the stress of doing more than that, and I'm sorry if I leave you hanging for a long time))
 
((It's perfectly okay, no need to apologize life comes first. I hope that things get better soon though, for you and your friend.))


Melody didn't leave Lucius's side for anything. So she was there when Lucius came in and she silently watched him, scooting over to make room for him next to Archer. She looked down, saying nothing, knowing there was nothing she could say to him. Nothing at all. She timidly started reaching a hand out towards him, stopped, but continued anyways and placed it gently on his shoulder reassuringly. She said nothing still, not knowing what to say.
 
((Thanks. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't think I was ignoring you or anything))


Archer put a hand on Lucius' head and stroked over his hair, gentle and soothing. "Shhh," he whispered softly, soothingly. "Its all right, Lu. Everything's gonna be okay. . . Just breathe. Sit here with me and breathe." He kept talking softly and soothingly, told Lucius of times when they were young to get him to smile a little, to huff a faint laugh but not sit up. After a while, Lucius reached back to put a hand over Melody's on his shoulder, and gradually his muscles began to relax. It was progress, at least.
 
((I don't ^_^ ))


Melody finally spoke up to Lucius when Archer placed his hand over hers. She reminded him of the times he had protected her and made her feel safe, and how she would trust her life with him no matter what.
 
Lucius stayed quiet and still for a long while, but eventually he turned his head enough to peek out at them with one eye. He watched them, still doubtful, then just leaned a little into Melody as well, fingers curled tight in Archer's shirt, and tried to breathe normally. ". . . I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. . ." His voice whispered, but his mind was screaming What would you do if you killed them yourself?
 
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