[This is... unexpected. The way Vex insisted she come inside, and cornered her with a bear of all things, Yor had sort of expected this discussion to be a little more... confrontational than this.]
That's very nice of you, but I'm not sure you really understand.
[Like, at all. The bumbling aspect of Yor isn't a face or a front - it's who she is when she's not killing. She's very skilled in the murderous aspect of her life, and in other, less lethal aspects, she's a bit clumsy and unskilled. It isn't an act, it's just a quirk of living a hyperfocused life for so long.]
I'm not ashamed of my job or anything like that - I'm actually quite proud of what I do. But some things are private.
[It's a secret, certainly, but for practical reasons.]
[Vex can see Yor relax and she's grateful for it. Maybe then she can get more info.]
I understand taking pride in what you do. It's admirable, up to a point. But, no, I'm not sure that I do understand why you try to hide it here of all places. The reasons that you might have in your own world hardly exist here.
[Vex stands up, goes to the cupboards in the kitchen, grabs two mugs and then opens another cupboard to pull out a suspicious looking jug. She shakes it and yells the word "ale" into it before pouring the amber-brown liquid that appears in it into the mugs.]
Come over here and I'll make you something to eat. You appear to need something a little harder than water to drink and I make it a rule to never drink on an empty stomach.
I suppose it's just that my duty to my country doesn't disappear when I'm away from home.
[Yor isn't particularly hungry, but when Vex beckons her she stands and follows her into the kitchen. It's best not to be rude, after all.
Still, it's... clear to Yor that Vex doesn't understand the stakes of Yor's job.]
Do you know what it's like to be a civilian during wartime, Miss Vex? To lose your parents, and not know where your next meal is going to come from? Have you ever been so hungry that you had to crawl through the ruins of your neighbor's house, hoping to find some canned goods?
[Gingerly, she accepts one of the mugs of ale from off of the counter. Hopefully it is what Vex says it is - but even if it's poisoned, Yor knows that she'll probably be fine.]
Have you ever had to tell your little brother to wait outside, because you couldn't bear for him to see what an artillery shell did to the body of the elderly woman that used to bake him cookies?
[And then, like night and day: She perks back up once more.]
Because my daughter doesn't know what that's like, Miss Vex. And neither do any of her little schoolmates. They grew up in a country at peace, so all they know about is smiling and playing and going to school.
[She lifts the mug up, not quite drinking from it just yet.]
It's my job to make sure that remains the case.
There are bad men in my country. Awful people - traitors and terrorists and dissidents - who would love to start another war for any number of reasons. And when they try, I kill them and their associates.
[Not her and a team. Just her. ]
It's very important work, and I take it very seriously. It would be irresponsible for me to let my guard down, even in this place. Because if someone from my world showed up here and they learned who I am, I wouldn't be able to keep doing my job. It might even put my family in danger.
[She's smiling now, as she takes a sip of the ale. But make no mistake: If there was any chance at all that Vex was from the same world as her, Yor would have made an attempt on her life by now.]
[Vex prepares a like snack for them from the things in her cupboards while Yor talks, slotting more information about the other woman away.
It's not that she's dismissive of what she's saying. It's that it's just a different type of life than the one she grew up in. It's no better, nor no worse than the one she, Grog, Scanlan, Percy or any of her friends lived through to get to where they are.
As she sets a plate of fruit, cheese and bread on the counter between them, she gives the other woman a half-smile before she sighs deeply.]
No, I don't know what your life has been like, but I doubt you know what it's like to have lived my life either. Do you know what it's like to see a creature that is the size of some castles slap your twin brother so many times his body stops moving and you're too far away to help him? Do you know what it's like to see a woman responsible for the murder of your lover's entire family steal the last breaths from that man right in front of you? Have you seen what Ancient Dragons can do to the cities of your country? One covered in ice so thick that it freezes the breath in your lungs? Or a city that had taken you in when you had no where else to go but is now covered in magma and lava pits, radiating a heat that burns the tips of your hair, your skin, your clothes?
But I do know what it's like to want to make sure that someone you love who is completely innocent of life's ugliness remains that way. I am twenty-seven, but I have a seven year old half-sister that I would burn the world down around me to make sure she never sees what I have, both in the peoples of our world and the world itself. I would do the same for the rest of my family, but Velora hasn't suffered the same way I have and I never want that for her.
So, I understand you better than you give me credit for. I am much more than the charismatic, pretty archer with a bear that most here think I am. I am responsible for an entire city, an entire country, in my own way. I take those responsibilities very seriously.
[Yor waits patiently for Vex to share her own horror stories, and then she... perks up a little more than is probably appropriate.]
That's great!
[Wait, no.]
That you understand, I mean. It sounds like you've had an awfully hard life, and I'm very sorry. But you have people you care about - if you could make sure they were all safe, by keeping one aspect of your life a secret, I'm sure you'd do the same as me.
[She isn't keeping secrets out of malice, and it's not like she's skulking in the shadows looking for prey. It's just that her identity coming out at home would mean terrible things for her and her cover family.]
It sounds like we have a lot in common, actually! Despite coming from very different places.
[Vex raises one eyebrow in surprise. Never did she really expect for this woman to latch onto the fact that she has a similar experience in different circumstances with such... vigor.
It's a little disturbing, even for a woman like Vex'ahlia, who has spent so much of her life in the last few years killing one major foe after another to protect Exandria and Tal'dorei.
She takes a long time before she responds, draining her first mug of ale before pouring another. It's a good thing that she and Vax found the Alchemy Jug when they did, because she has a feeling she will need something stronger than this later and she doesn't want to leave the house to get it.]
In my experience, [she has to clarify so that Yor doesn't take offense] secrets have a habit of coming out and causing far more trouble than they are worth. Secrets fester and leave holes that turn into caverns that kill as likely as if I were to shoot you in the throat right now.
However, it's your secret to keep and they're your reasons. I won't judge you for them. That's what I'm offering you at this point. There is not a single person who lives in this house who would judge you for your job back on your world. This is a.... safe space.
[She takes a piece of fruit from the platter that Vex has made and pops it into her mouth. She's barely had any of her ale at this point - Yor is an incredible lightweight when it comes to liquor, and this conversation so far has been something she wants to keep sober for.]
It's not about judgement, though. I don't have anything to be ashamed of - the work I do is good. It's about safety - all it takes is one wrong person learning about me and taking that knowledge back home, and I could be killed. Or worse, my daughter and husband could be put in danger because of it.
[How would the Shopkeeper put this? Probably some kind of gardening metaphor, but that kind of thing doesn't really work for Yor.]
That's why I'll ask that you keep this conversation to yourself. I'm sure your friends are all very nice people - I met Caleb and Keyleth, and they were very kind to me when they didn't have to be.
But it's my secret, and my family who might be put in danger. The fewer loose ends there are here, the less the risk for me.
[Vex nibbles on the bread as she considers what it is that Yor has said. There's sense in it, but there's also a great deal of paranoia layered in it. The kind of paranoia that can lead to it's own sort of trouble.]
Like I said, it's not my secret, so I'll keep it. If my brother finds out, it won't be from me, you understand.
[She doesn't like keeping secrets from her brother, but this isn't anything that will get them or those they love killed, so she can keep her mouth shut. If Percy shows up, all bets are off because Vex and Percy don't keep secrets from each other. Not anymore.]
I will say this. If you need help taking someone down who might be a liability, let me know. I've been known to be helpful.
[Paranoia is the name of the game in her world. It's the cold war, baby, paranoia is all the rage.]
I appreciate that. I know it might seem silly, but it's important to me.
[As long as Vex isn't the one telling her brother, that's all Yor can ask. She probably wouldn't love the idea of Vex telling Percy, but that's not something she could do anything about even if she did know him.]
That's very kind of you! I try to clean up my own messes, but all the magic in this place is so new to me. It would be nice to have help in case the liability is like a dragon or something.
[Paranoia is no healthy way to live. Vex is glad that it's not hers anymore.]
As I said, I have others that I wish to protect. Both here and back on Exandria. I suspect that if you asked the others here, you'd find it a very common feeling amongst our fellow "travellers".
[Yes, that's the word she's going with for what they are.
When Yor mentions dragons, Vex can't help but give her a sharp smile.]
Ah, well, if your troubles do come down to a dragon, I am definitely the person you want to consult. [She waves to her bear and begins to speak in Draconic.] "Dragons are no match for my skills."
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2022-07-31 12:28 pm (UTC)[This is... unexpected. The way Vex insisted she come inside, and cornered her with a bear of all things, Yor had sort of expected this discussion to be a little more... confrontational than this.]
That's very nice of you, but I'm not sure you really understand.
[Like, at all. The bumbling aspect of Yor isn't a face or a front - it's who she is when she's not killing. She's very skilled in the murderous aspect of her life, and in other, less lethal aspects, she's a bit clumsy and unskilled. It isn't an act, it's just a quirk of living a hyperfocused life for so long.]
I'm not ashamed of my job or anything like that - I'm actually quite proud of what I do. But some things are private.
[It's a secret, certainly, but for practical reasons.]
no subject
Date: 2022-07-31 09:34 pm (UTC)I understand taking pride in what you do. It's admirable, up to a point. But, no, I'm not sure that I do understand why you try to hide it here of all places. The reasons that you might have in your own world hardly exist here.
[Vex stands up, goes to the cupboards in the kitchen, grabs two mugs and then opens another cupboard to pull out a suspicious looking jug. She shakes it and yells the word "ale" into it before pouring the amber-brown liquid that appears in it into the mugs.]
Come over here and I'll make you something to eat. You appear to need something a little harder than water to drink and I make it a rule to never drink on an empty stomach.
1/2
Date: 2022-07-31 09:50 pm (UTC)[Yor isn't particularly hungry, but when Vex beckons her she stands and follows her into the kitchen. It's best not to be rude, after all.
Still, it's... clear to Yor that Vex doesn't understand the stakes of Yor's job.]
Do you know what it's like to be a civilian during wartime, Miss Vex? To lose your parents, and not know where your next meal is going to come from? Have you ever been so hungry that you had to crawl through the ruins of your neighbor's house, hoping to find some canned goods?
[Gingerly, she accepts one of the mugs of ale from off of the counter. Hopefully it is what Vex says it is - but even if it's poisoned, Yor knows that she'll probably be fine.]
Have you ever had to tell your little brother to wait outside, because you couldn't bear for him to see what an artillery shell did to the body of the elderly woman that used to bake him cookies?
2/2
Date: 2022-07-31 09:59 pm (UTC)Because my daughter doesn't know what that's like, Miss Vex. And neither do any of her little schoolmates. They grew up in a country at peace, so all they know about is smiling and playing and going to school.
[She lifts the mug up, not quite drinking from it just yet.]
It's my job to make sure that remains the case.
There are bad men in my country. Awful people - traitors and terrorists and dissidents - who would love to start another war for any number of reasons. And when they try, I kill them and their associates.
[Not her and a team. Just her. ]
It's very important work, and I take it very seriously. It would be irresponsible for me to let my guard down, even in this place. Because if someone from my world showed up here and they learned who I am, I wouldn't be able to keep doing my job. It might even put my family in danger.
[She's smiling now, as she takes a sip of the ale. But make no mistake: If there was any chance at all that Vex was from the same world as her, Yor would have made an attempt on her life by now.]
Does that make sense to you?
no subject
Date: 2022-08-01 06:21 am (UTC)It's not that she's dismissive of what she's saying. It's that it's just a different type of life than the one she grew up in. It's no better, nor no worse than the one she, Grog, Scanlan, Percy or any of her friends lived through to get to where they are.
As she sets a plate of fruit, cheese and bread on the counter between them, she gives the other woman a half-smile before she sighs deeply.]
No, I don't know what your life has been like, but I doubt you know what it's like to have lived my life either. Do you know what it's like to see a creature that is the size of some castles slap your twin brother so many times his body stops moving and you're too far away to help him? Do you know what it's like to see a woman responsible for the murder of your lover's entire family steal the last breaths from that man right in front of you? Have you seen what Ancient Dragons can do to the cities of your country? One covered in ice so thick that it freezes the breath in your lungs? Or a city that had taken you in when you had no where else to go but is now covered in magma and lava pits, radiating a heat that burns the tips of your hair, your skin, your clothes?
But I do know what it's like to want to make sure that someone you love who is completely innocent of life's ugliness remains that way. I am twenty-seven, but I have a seven year old half-sister that I would burn the world down around me to make sure she never sees what I have, both in the peoples of our world and the world itself. I would do the same for the rest of my family, but Velora hasn't suffered the same way I have and I never want that for her.
So, I understand you better than you give me credit for. I am much more than the charismatic, pretty archer with a bear that most here think I am. I am responsible for an entire city, an entire country, in my own way. I take those responsibilities very seriously.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-01 10:44 pm (UTC)That's great!
[Wait, no.]
That you understand, I mean. It sounds like you've had an awfully hard life, and I'm very sorry. But you have people you care about - if you could make sure they were all safe, by keeping one aspect of your life a secret, I'm sure you'd do the same as me.
[She isn't keeping secrets out of malice, and it's not like she's skulking in the shadows looking for prey. It's just that her identity coming out at home would mean terrible things for her and her cover family.]
It sounds like we have a lot in common, actually! Despite coming from very different places.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-02 05:43 am (UTC)It's a little disturbing, even for a woman like Vex'ahlia, who has spent so much of her life in the last few years killing one major foe after another to protect Exandria and Tal'dorei.
She takes a long time before she responds, draining her first mug of ale before pouring another. It's a good thing that she and Vax found the Alchemy Jug when they did, because she has a feeling she will need something stronger than this later and she doesn't want to leave the house to get it.]
In my experience, [she has to clarify so that Yor doesn't take offense] secrets have a habit of coming out and causing far more trouble than they are worth. Secrets fester and leave holes that turn into caverns that kill as likely as if I were to shoot you in the throat right now.
However, it's your secret to keep and they're your reasons. I won't judge you for them. That's what I'm offering you at this point. There is not a single person who lives in this house who would judge you for your job back on your world. This is a.... safe space.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-02 10:33 am (UTC)[She takes a piece of fruit from the platter that Vex has made and pops it into her mouth. She's barely had any of her ale at this point - Yor is an incredible lightweight when it comes to liquor, and this conversation so far has been something she wants to keep sober for.]
It's not about judgement, though. I don't have anything to be ashamed of - the work I do is good. It's about safety - all it takes is one wrong person learning about me and taking that knowledge back home, and I could be killed. Or worse, my daughter and husband could be put in danger because of it.
[How would the Shopkeeper put this? Probably some kind of gardening metaphor, but that kind of thing doesn't really work for Yor.]
That's why I'll ask that you keep this conversation to yourself. I'm sure your friends are all very nice people - I met Caleb and Keyleth, and they were very kind to me when they didn't have to be.
But it's my secret, and my family who might be put in danger. The fewer loose ends there are here, the less the risk for me.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-04 10:37 pm (UTC)Like I said, it's not my secret, so I'll keep it. If my brother finds out, it won't be from me, you understand.
[She doesn't like keeping secrets from her brother, but this isn't anything that will get them or those they love killed, so she can keep her mouth shut. If Percy shows up, all bets are off because Vex and Percy don't keep secrets from each other. Not anymore.]
I will say this. If you need help taking someone down who might be a liability, let me know. I've been known to be helpful.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-04 10:59 pm (UTC)I appreciate that. I know it might seem silly, but it's important to me.
[As long as Vex isn't the one telling her brother, that's all Yor can ask. She probably wouldn't love the idea of Vex telling Percy, but that's not something she could do anything about even if she did know him.]
That's very kind of you! I try to clean up my own messes, but all the magic in this place is so new to me. It would be nice to have help in case the liability is like a dragon or something.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-05 08:32 am (UTC)As I said, I have others that I wish to protect. Both here and back on Exandria. I suspect that if you asked the others here, you'd find it a very common feeling amongst our fellow "travellers".
[Yes, that's the word she's going with for what they are.
When Yor mentions dragons, Vex can't help but give her a sharp smile.]
Ah, well, if your troubles do come down to a dragon, I am definitely the person you want to consult. [She waves to her bear and begins to speak in Draconic.] "Dragons are no match for my skills."