Open Post: A pair of gloves

[sporesprouter]

Tress was an old hand at waiting. She'd waited for Charlie for more than a year once. Having to do it twice was somewhat disheartening at times, but the mansion kind of had more to offer than the Rock had. (Not quite as much as the spore seas, but... nothing ever would.)

The first time she waited, she was the one to go out and fix it herself. (With help.)

This time, though... sometimes waiting apparently works.

There's a flash of red out of the corner of her eye as she passes a lounge. But that's not the important part. She's clearly on her way to the kitchen to cook her heart out. Charlie's here now. Tress is ecstatic.

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[summerdude]

"You look happy," Magnus says, coming by the kitchen to drop off some early-summer produce he's been absently stress-growing in the woods.

[sporesprouter]

She looks over at Magnus with a grin. "You haven't seen him yet, then, have you?"

[summerdude]

"Seen--"

Fat stalks of asparagus scatter over the floor and roll; lettuce flumps where it lands. Magnus ignores the basket and the produce. "Charlie????? He's here???????"

[sporesprouter]

She nods, excited. "He's here. I told him he could go explore while I made some of his favorite food."

[summerdude]

"Holy crap." Magnus is grinning so big his face hurts with it. "Okay, put me to work, Tress. What's the saying? Help makes work faster?"

[sporesprouter]

Tress laughs. "Well, first pick up your vegetables."

[summerdude]

"Aye aye, captain," Magnus says, crouching down to dump everything back in the basket. "So, um. Is he human Charlie or rat Charlie?"

[sporesprouter]

She carefully rolls out some pastry dough. "Human Charlie. Safe from cats."

[summerdude]

Magnus sighs happily. "Did you give him a big old kiss? I gave Alex a big old kiss."

[sagramore]

"Tress! There you are, I was looking for you--" Sagramore has a sleeping bag under one arm and a sack of flour under the other.

[sporesprouter]

"Sagramore!" She spins to face him. "Did you see him?"

[sagramore]

"See who?"

[sporesprouter]

"Charlie's here!" She could almost cry, she's so happy.

[sagramore]

Sagramore's expression instantly transforms, and he drops both of the things he's carrying to swoop her up in a hug, lifting her off her feet. "He's here!"

[sporesprouter]

Tress laughs and buries her face in Sagramore's shoulder. When she speaks, her voice is muffled. "I was beginning to think he'd never..."

[sagramore]

"I know, I know. Oh, my heart, I'm so glad for thee, I'm so glad."

[sporesprouter]

"It's just... it's the best day."

[wickedwit]

Claudius’s resolution is set. There’s no particular reason he has to do this now, but if he waits for a reason, he knows he never will. Wheels have been set in motion, the last standing threat to their little society will be dispatched with, and between the tincture he’s brewing and the favor Luo Binghe will owe him, he’ll never have to fear that man’s prideful threats again.

Such a cold way to think. Dispatched with. He thinks of the woman of with Tress's face, likewise cold and logical, saying, So then what would happen was in the interest of her protection. He thinks of Gertrude, insistent, a beautiful clarity to her gaze, saying, You gave me my freedom. He thinks of Lan Wangji, quiet, thoughtful, each word laden with significance, like a weiqi stone dropped into place, saying, Canniness and kindness are a rare set of twins to find indeed, and all the understanding offered therein.

What he did for Gertrude, he also did for Denmark. What he does now -- merciless as it may be, assembling dangerous forces from multiple worlds for the assassination of a single woman -- he does for the sake of the only peaceful place he's ever lived. A fragile peace from the beginning, from that day in the garden when he realized he was vulnerable to powers worse than anything in Elsinore, but he can see it finally take the shape of something solid. Lasting.

At last, he thinks of Laertes, the blazing heat of his conviction, a fire Claudius longed to reach out and touch with his own hand. Pretend no righteousness with me, when thou didst right. Claudius will never have that conviction. He will always bear the weight of his crime, knowing that it was a crime, knowing he would never repent of it. There's some base instinct, he believes and once told Enjolras under a spell of truth, not knowing he believed it, that keeps us from killing our fellows, that lets us see similarities in other men and understand that they feel as we do, and that keeps us from killing them easily. It shouldn't be easy to kill a brother. It shouldn't be easy to kill a lonely woman, even one who's killed another, even one who's chosen loneliness by removing herself from memory. Evil for the sake of evil. It's a terrible way to live. It's a cowardly thought, but Claudius thinks she might be ready to die.

Still, Claudius can't pretend he didn't make that choice. That he wouldn't make it again, for the sake of those he cares for -- for the sake of Tress, who he loves like a niece, who should never have to fight a war or take a life. That's why (he thinks wryly) Claudius and his brother will never see eye-to-eye. King Hamlet was quite content to recruit the younger Hamlet into his private war.

But Claudius can't shield her from everything. Tress's other self was practical, just like Tress. If she's to hear the truth from someone, she should hear it from him. He raps a hand on the doorframe, politely says, "Lady Tress. May I have a moment of your time?"

[sporesprouter]

When Tress turns to look at Claudius, she's radiant in a way she has absolutely not been since she set foot on the mansion grounds. "Of course! And I have news!"

[wickedwit]

Claudius straightens himself up, needlessly readjusting his cuff-links, before focusing on Tress anew. He tries to veil the anxiety in his eyes with polite interest. "Well, I can hardly resist an opening like that," he says, putting on a smile. "What news?"

[sporesprouter]

If any anxiety makes it through, Tress surely doesn't notice. "Charlie's here!"

[wickedwit]

“Charlie.” Claudius’s eyebrows shoot up. “That is extraordinary news. You’ll have to introduce us. Where is he keeping himself?”

[sporesprouter]

"He's exploring while I make some of his favorites."I

[wickedwit]

He can’t do it. He can’t inflict his own secret miseries on Tress at her happiest, not when the happiness was so hard-won. He’s seen her leave her body and fling herself through a familiar at the ceiling of this place, just for the slim chance to get back to Charlie. It’s easy to slip back into the role of idle, gossiping uncle, and simply be delighted for her.

“Is he the shy, retiring sort, then?” he teases. “Did he need a moment to recollect himself, after seeing your face? What did he say when he saw you?”

[sporesprouter]

"Oh, moons, it was just... it's all a blur, it happened so suddenly. Like any of us arriving, I guess."