[The fact that the conversation has gone on this long, and this guy hasn't actively come charging over to apprehend Therion or otherwise threaten him at closer range but instead continues to carry on this conversation is not lost on Therion. He doesn't relax beneath his poncho, really - after all, Rondo could abruptly lose patience, and if his training is anything like Eliza's, he'll have some magic up his sleeves, assuming he's willing to risk a bit of damage to the furniture and papers - but Therion does begin to think that maybe he can stall this guy talking long enough for Cordelia to come back from wherever the hell she went. He also does relax his paranoia a little bit. This knight doesn't act like he's stalling for time or trying to hide anything, and pretending to be the lady of the house's brother would be a pretty bold lie.
Plus, there's something about that pause, that deliberate straightening of the shoulders... Well, if he's a protective older brother, then Therion should probably watch his words here. Buuuuut... he gets the feeling Rondo might be fun to wind up, like Tressa. Then again, maybe the discipline of knight training might counteract that. Only one way to find out! So, he gives a faint smirk.]
Plenty. [Casually, like this is no big deal and definitely a thing he was a willing participant in rather than something he was dragged to by Alfyn Primrose whenever they passed through:] Over afternoon tea, even.
[ hey. HEY!!!! is this guy messing with him? it's working!
the frown on his face grows at this addition, smirk and all included. therion is correct, he's not stalling for time - he also just is not going to go stab a guy. probably. rondo would like to know what his deal is first, at least, because that is what a good knight ardante does. though he would very much like to knock that apple out of his hand. he's not quite flustered but he does seem a little flabbergasted at first. ]
And you're sneaking in through her window? [ you are SUSPICIOUS, SIR ] If you have intentions of courting my sister, you will at least use the front door!
[ there's something scratching at the back of his head about thieves somewhere but he's not paying attention to it... maybe he's forgetting something... ]
Therion lets out an amused snort over his apple and shakes his head.]
Please, you really think anyone going in the front door is gonna get past your butler?
[He can imagine it now: the moment someone is actually here to court Cordeila - Heathcote taking them on a house tour of all the traps so they can prove their worth. Of course, it probably won't really happen like that. Nobility, its politics, and all that. It's fun to imagine some stuffed shirt who thinks he's all that going through it, though.]
[ truly cannot believe this CAD is out here trying to woo his sister!!! cordelia has always been... well.... swept away by the occasional romantic story, so of course, something like this....!!
though, there's something about the way therion says that that stops him. getting past heathcote... it's rare that someone would ever know how skilled heathcote is unless they've tangled with him before. ]
You... [ ... and if that's the case, would he seriously be able to actually get in again? unless heathcote was in on it, or. there's a beat. ]
Heh. [He's about to have mercy on this poor suffering knight and assure him that Cordelia is not really his type, when Rondo has his realization. Therion blinks and lifts his eyebrows.]
... yeah? [And--? Why does that suddenly matter now? Wait... how much does he know about what Heathcote and Cordelia have even been up to over the past however long?]
[ in any situation this might make a little ! sound effect over his head because the lightbulb goes on. oh!
... he doesn't quite lower his sword, but he looks more recognizing. ]
What is your relationship with the Ravus manor, in actuality? [ not that cordelia isn't perfect but he feels distinctly relieved at the idea that this is a thief (friendly) (?) and not some playboy trying to run away with his sister. ]
[ the way everything visibly clicks together on rondo's face is enough for therion. right. ok. yeah. Except the way he phrases the question - no, help, he can't resist a few more dry remarks: ]
With the house? Well, I'd say we're on decent terms. [He gestures vaguely with the uneaten half of his apple.] I know where all the traps are, unless Heathcote's rearranged them again.
[OK OK HE'LL STOP NOW. probably. maybe.]
... which hopefully he has. I don't want my hard work getting your magic rocks back going to waste.
[ wow his attitude changes literally immediately - he stops pointing his sword at therion and puts it back in the sheath, brightening up like the sun just came into the room. ]
-- You're the thief who retrieved them, he really did take my suggestion!!
[ WOW that's so exciting!! it doesn't negate the fact that he's. sneaking into cordelia's room (this still bears further consideration at a later date) but for now!!! this man is an ally of the ravus house! rondo immediately puts his right hand over his heart and bows, left arm coming out, very proper. ]
My apologies for my rudeness - though, your entrance was unorthodox, and you startled me so. You're the one that Heathcote picked! On behalf of - well, on the Ravus name, thank you for your services....ah, what's your name?
[ oh no what a smile!! It's kind of impressive, actually, how much this guy lights up. He'd fit right in with Ophilia and Alfyn, with all that sunshine. It's a bit startling, though, that he goes to bow. Therion really doesn't... quite know how to take that. Especially as what was that Rondo just said about a suggestion...?
He sort of stares for a moment then looks away.]
... Therion. And... there's no need for that. I was just holding up my end of the contract. [Not that he doesn't appreciate the sincere 'thanks,' but... it's complicated.
He fidgets with his scarf and looks back over at Rondo.] What do you mean 'your suggestion'?
[ he is a good boy with very good manners. at that, he straightens back up though and nods, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword - much more relaxed. there's slightly less direct sunshine being pointed at therion now, though he's still smiling a bit. ]
That's right. I - when I left for the Knights Ardante, there was no longer anyone but Heathcote to retrieve the stones. I happened to run into him in Flamesgrace a while back, and we got to talking about the ones that were still missing, and I mentioned that since a thief stole them, it might be a good idea to find a thief to track them down. Heathcote's... unique skillset helps, so...
[ ""unique skillset"" ]
... And that person was you! Contract or otherwise.
there's a joke to be made here about heathcote's unique skillset getting powercrept...
...huh. [Well, guess he doesn't have to reassess the whole 'Paragon of Knightly Virtue' vibes Rondo gives off yet, then. Which Therion was absolutely going to do if it turned out the whole 'blackmail the first thief who passes muster' component was the part that was Rondo's idea. Honestly, he's kind of relieved that it's much more straightforward. Still-] Looks like I gave the old man too much credit.
[It's always drag Heathcote hours, as far as Therion is concerned. He's got a solid (if begrudging) respect for the old butler at this point and no real hard feelings, of course. But that's hardly the point.
He pauses, gaze sliding to the details on Rondo's cloak that mark him as a Knight Ardante as he seems to have a little debate with himself before sighing and reluctantly setting his apple aside, for the moment. He's careful enough not to put it somewhere that's liable to get any juice on Cordelia's things - at worst, a corner of the table might get a little sticky, but varnished wood is easy enough to clean.]
Well, fun as this has been, I'm not actually here for a social call, and maybe it's better you hear about this first. It's about why the Dragonstones were stolen in the first place.
[Reaching under his poncho to some hidden back or pocket, Therion produces something rectangular, wrapped in a bit of rough cloth. He carefully unwinds it to produce a thin, battered book of some sort. It's bound in some sort of leather(?), but it's singed along one edge and stained dark with blotches best left to the imagination. The thief looks down at it for a moment, distant, as if he's forgotten what he was about to say.]
well, it's not like rondo is unused to people being flippant or rude towards others - he does spend most of his time with sazantos the flameguard, who may in fact be one of the rudest people on this entire continent - but hearing heathcote so casually called 'old man'.... it seems kind of friendly? they must get along... that's good. that's especially good!
the smile on his face remains, head tilting to the side, though it fades into something more serious, if curious, at the unveiling of the book. rondo closes the distance between them to come look at it, peering at the condition of the tome as a whole and scanning the front before his gaze flicks upwards to therion, noticing him spacing out. before any other question, he frowns, concerned, and asks, title included, because he is a ravus even if he dropped the name: ]
[Therion shivers - it's almost but not quite a startle - and then he blinks, shaking his head as he comes out of his reverie. Glancing up, he frowns.]
I'll put up with being called 'Mr. Therion' by Cordelia, but it's weird coming from you.
[He realizes he's stalling, though, so his eye drops back down to the book, while he heaves a sigh. Before he was caught up in remembering, but now he's stymied by figuring out where to even start. There's another pause - much shorter this time - and then he finally begins:]
All this is probably going to sound pretty insane - or... maybe not. I guess it depends on what you already know. [Still stalling. His eyes flick up to Rondo's and then back down to the surface of the desk as he decides this is easier if he's not looking at anything in particular.] The extremely short version is, apparently Galdera, may he rest in fucking pieces, had a daughter, and she used the stones to open the Gate of Finis to try and let her dad out.
[There's a brief hesitation over saying the Dark God's name aloud; Therion generally avoids invoking the gods by name out of superstitious paranoia. It behooves a thief to avoid being Noticed by anyone, after all, not even the gods. Given that they very clearly Noticed anyway, if the past year or so is any indication, he supposes he ought to have free license to use their names however he sees fit. Still, old habits die hard.]
The first time... something went wrong. But recently, she tried to finish what she started. Honestly, it's pure luck that we were even there, chasing after Kit, but... [Luck, or maybe the whole reason the gods even took note of their odd little band to begin with? He's still not sure.] We went in after them, and inside the gate, there's... it's... We meet a bunch of ghosts. Or pieces of ghosts, I suppose. I don't really know. Anyway, the point is just -- some of them left us with... messages. Memories, I guess.
[He finally looks back up at Rondo and holds out the book, though he doesn't quite meet the knight's eyes.]
[ it doesn't sound any more insane than literally anything that rondo has done in the past few months of his life, so perhaps luckily, he takes it all in stride. it's not insane, it's familiar - the gate of finis, the daughter of the dark god, both figures that have appeared and weren't quite lost to time and memory. he lifts his hand, absently reaching up to rest it over his chest as therion continues to explain, feeling for the warmth of the sacred flame even if he doesn't summon it forward, like a reminder.
not that therion could possibly know any of that, considering! but externally, rondo just looks concerned, frowning as he comes a little bit closer and listening attentively to everything that he has to say.
and so, when the subject turns to memories, the look that ripples across rondo's face - surprise, unguarded - is as clear and vulnerable as day. ]
... My father?
[ lord ravus himself. the loss of his father and mother is an old one, so much so that he doubts that cordelia even really remembers their faces, but that doesn't mean the mere mention awakens something deep and sad, a locked away melancholy that easily bobs to the surface.
rondo holds out his hand, and there's a beat before he asks, hesitantly: ]
... You didn't... see him, did you? [ fragments of memories, ghosts... it's not impossible, all things considered. he doesn't know how he'd handle the thought - perhaps one of the luckier members of this twisted together destiny, rondo never encountered a ghost of anyone he knew in the varying cities of the hells. only sazantos, worse than the rest for a thousand other reasons. ]
[Therion is quiet as he places the book in Rondo's outstretched hand. His lips press together in a thin line, letting the silence stretch while he considers how to answer. It's hard, thinking about the ghosts, not the least because his mind tends to gravitate to the one that had shocked him to his core. He hadn't know Darius was dead until-- until then, though he doesn't want to think about that now - refuses to, in fact. He can deal with his own shit on his own time.
After several seconds, he lets out a heavy sigh.]
Maybe. I don't know for sure. He wasn't as... solid as some of the others, but maybe that's because he'd been dead longer. Or had fewer regrets. Who knows. Prim's dad was also pretty faded...
[Not that he expects Rondo to know who he's talking about there, but whatever. They'd speculated about it a bit later on their long trek back, but that's all it had been - speculation. Guesswork. And now Therion's just thinking aloud about it again.]
Anyway, Cyrus wrote down everything the ghosts had to say in there. Don't bother with the front half - you'll give yourself a headache. [Therion does not elaborate on why, but if Rondo looks, he'll just see a lot of scribbling academic shorthand. The front pages are also more stained.] The part from your father's marked with the second ribbon. [The first ribbon simply marks the end of the shorthand and the start of the Properly, Neatly Written Transcription (with annotations and supplementary notes!). Cyrus even started this section with a rough table of contents!]
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Plus, there's something about that pause, that deliberate straightening of the shoulders... Well, if he's a protective older brother, then Therion should probably watch his words here. Buuuuut... he gets the feeling Rondo might be fun to wind up, like Tressa. Then again, maybe the discipline of knight training might counteract that. Only one way to find out! So, he gives a faint smirk.]
Plenty. [Casually, like this is no big deal and definitely a thing he was a willing participant in rather than something he was dragged to by Alfyn Primrose whenever they passed through:] Over afternoon tea, even.
[He takes another bite of the apple.]
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the frown on his face grows at this addition, smirk and all included. therion is correct, he's not stalling for time - he also just is not going to go stab a guy. probably. rondo would like to know what his deal is first, at least, because that is what a good knight ardante does. though he would very much like to knock that apple out of his hand. he's not quite flustered but he does seem a little flabbergasted at first. ]
And you're sneaking in through her window? [ you are SUSPICIOUS, SIR ] If you have intentions of courting my sister, you will at least use the front door!
[ there's something scratching at the back of his head about thieves somewhere but he's not paying attention to it... maybe he's forgetting something... ]
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Therion lets out an amused snort over his apple and shakes his head.]
Please, you really think anyone going in the front door is gonna get past your butler?
[He can imagine it now: the moment someone is actually here to court Cordeila - Heathcote taking them on a house tour of all the traps so they can prove their worth. Of course, it probably won't really happen like that. Nobility, its politics, and all that. It's fun to imagine some stuffed shirt who thinks he's all that going through it, though.]
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[ truly cannot believe this CAD is out here trying to woo his sister!!! cordelia has always been... well.... swept away by the occasional romantic story, so of course, something like this....!!
though, there's something about the way therion says that that stops him. getting past heathcote... it's rare that someone would ever know how skilled heathcote is unless they've tangled with him before. ]
You... [ ... and if that's the case, would he seriously be able to actually get in again? unless heathcote was in on it, or. there's a beat. ]
- Wait, you're a thief. [ don't just say that ]
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... yeah? [And--? Why does that suddenly matter now? Wait... how much does he know about what Heathcote and Cordelia have even been up to over the past however long?]
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... he doesn't quite lower his sword, but he looks more recognizing. ]
What is your relationship with the Ravus manor, in actuality? [ not that cordelia isn't perfect but he feels distinctly relieved at the idea that this is a thief (friendly) (?) and not some playboy trying to run away with his sister. ]
DKSJFL THAT ICON the lightbulb is killing me
With the house? Well, I'd say we're on decent terms. [He gestures vaguely with the uneaten half of his apple.] I know where all the traps are, unless Heathcote's rearranged them again.
[OK OK HE'LL STOP NOW. probably. maybe.]
... which hopefully he has. I don't want my hard work getting your magic rocks back going to waste.
sometimes he does rub his braincells together
-- You're the thief who retrieved them, he really did take my suggestion!!
[ WOW that's so exciting!! it doesn't negate the fact that he's. sneaking into cordelia's room (this still bears further consideration at a later date) but for now!!! this man is an ally of the ravus house! rondo immediately puts his right hand over his heart and bows, left arm coming out, very proper. ]
My apologies for my rudeness - though, your entrance was unorthodox, and you startled me so. You're the one that Heathcote picked! On behalf of - well, on the Ravus name, thank you for your services....ah, what's your name?
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He sort of stares for a moment then looks away.]
... Therion. And... there's no need for that. I was just holding up my end of the contract. [Not that he doesn't appreciate the sincere 'thanks,' but... it's complicated.
He fidgets with his scarf and looks back over at Rondo.] What do you mean 'your suggestion'?
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[ he is a good boy with very good manners. at that, he straightens back up though and nods, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword - much more relaxed. there's slightly less direct sunshine being pointed at therion now, though he's still smiling a bit. ]
That's right. I - when I left for the Knights Ardante, there was no longer anyone but Heathcote to retrieve the stones. I happened to run into him in Flamesgrace a while back, and we got to talking about the ones that were still missing, and I mentioned that since a thief stole them, it might be a good idea to find a thief to track them down. Heathcote's... unique skillset helps, so...
[ ""unique skillset"" ]
... And that person was you! Contract or otherwise.
there's a joke to be made here about heathcote's unique skillset getting powercrept...
[It's always drag Heathcote hours, as far as Therion is concerned. He's got a solid (if begrudging) respect for the old butler at this point and no real hard feelings, of course. But that's hardly the point.
He pauses, gaze sliding to the details on Rondo's cloak that mark him as a Knight Ardante as he seems to have a little debate with himself before sighing and reluctantly setting his apple aside, for the moment. He's careful enough not to put it somewhere that's liable to get any juice on Cordelia's things - at worst, a corner of the table might get a little sticky, but varnished wood is easy enough to clean.]
Well, fun as this has been, I'm not actually here for a social call, and maybe it's better you hear about this first. It's about why the Dragonstones were stolen in the first place.
[Reaching under his poncho to some hidden back or pocket, Therion produces something rectangular, wrapped in a bit of rough cloth. He carefully unwinds it to produce a thin, battered book of some sort. It's bound in some sort of leather(?), but it's singed along one edge and stained dark with blotches best left to the imagination. The thief looks down at it for a moment, distant, as if he's forgotten what he was about to say.]
rip heathcote we all get old sometimes
well, it's not like rondo is unused to people being flippant or rude towards others - he does spend most of his time with sazantos the flameguard, who may in fact be one of the rudest people on this entire continent - but hearing heathcote so casually called 'old man'.... it seems kind of friendly? they must get along... that's good. that's especially good!
the smile on his face remains, head tilting to the side, though it fades into something more serious, if curious, at the unveiling of the book. rondo closes the distance between them to come look at it, peering at the condition of the tome as a whole and scanning the front before his gaze flicks upwards to therion, noticing him spacing out. before any other question, he frowns, concerned, and asks, title included, because he is a ravus even if he dropped the name: ]
... Mr. Therion...? [ are you still there... ]
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I'll put up with being called 'Mr. Therion' by Cordelia, but it's weird coming from you.
[He realizes he's stalling, though, so his eye drops back down to the book, while he heaves a sigh. Before he was caught up in remembering, but now he's stymied by figuring out where to even start. There's another pause - much shorter this time - and then he finally begins:]
All this is probably going to sound pretty insane - or... maybe not. I guess it depends on what you already know. [Still stalling. His eyes flick up to Rondo's and then back down to the surface of the desk as he decides this is easier if he's not looking at anything in particular.] The extremely short version is, apparently Galdera, may he rest in fucking pieces, had a daughter, and she used the stones to open the Gate of Finis to try and let her dad out.
[There's a brief hesitation over saying the Dark God's name aloud; Therion generally avoids invoking the gods by name out of superstitious paranoia. It behooves a thief to avoid being Noticed by anyone, after all, not even the gods. Given that they very clearly Noticed anyway, if the past year or so is any indication, he supposes he ought to have free license to use their names however he sees fit. Still, old habits die hard.]
The first time... something went wrong. But recently, she tried to finish what she started. Honestly, it's pure luck that we were even there, chasing after Kit, but... [Luck, or maybe the whole reason the gods even took note of their odd little band to begin with? He's still not sure.] We went in after them, and inside the gate, there's... it's... We meet a bunch of ghosts. Or pieces of ghosts, I suppose. I don't really know. Anyway, the point is just -- some of them left us with... messages. Memories, I guess.
[He finally looks back up at Rondo and holds out the book, though he doesn't quite meet the knight's eyes.]
One of them was your father.
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not that therion could possibly know any of that, considering! but externally, rondo just looks concerned, frowning as he comes a little bit closer and listening attentively to everything that he has to say.
and so, when the subject turns to memories, the look that ripples across rondo's face - surprise, unguarded - is as clear and vulnerable as day. ]
... My father?
[ lord ravus himself. the loss of his father and mother is an old one, so much so that he doubts that cordelia even really remembers their faces, but that doesn't mean the mere mention awakens something deep and sad, a locked away melancholy that easily bobs to the surface.
rondo holds out his hand, and there's a beat before he asks, hesitantly: ]
... You didn't... see him, did you? [ fragments of memories, ghosts... it's not impossible, all things considered. he doesn't know how he'd handle the thought - perhaps one of the luckier members of this twisted together destiny, rondo never encountered a ghost of anyone he knew in the varying cities of the hells. only sazantos, worse than the rest for a thousand other reasons. ]
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[Therion is quiet as he places the book in Rondo's outstretched hand. His lips press together in a thin line, letting the silence stretch while he considers how to answer. It's hard, thinking about the ghosts, not the least because his mind tends to gravitate to the one that had shocked him to his core. He hadn't know Darius was dead until-- until then, though he doesn't want to think about that now - refuses to, in fact. He can deal with his own shit on his own time.
After several seconds, he lets out a heavy sigh.]
Maybe. I don't know for sure. He wasn't as... solid as some of the others, but maybe that's because he'd been dead longer. Or had fewer regrets. Who knows. Prim's dad was also pretty faded...
[Not that he expects Rondo to know who he's talking about there, but whatever. They'd speculated about it a bit later on their long trek back, but that's all it had been - speculation. Guesswork. And now Therion's just thinking aloud about it again.]
Anyway, Cyrus wrote down everything the ghosts had to say in there. Don't bother with the front half - you'll give yourself a headache. [Therion does not elaborate on why, but if Rondo looks, he'll just see a lot of scribbling academic shorthand. The front pages are also more stained.] The part from your father's marked with the second ribbon. [The first ribbon simply marks the end of the shorthand and the start of the Properly, Neatly Written Transcription (with annotations and supplementary notes!). Cyrus even started this section with a rough table of contents!]