[OOM(M) AU: Calderon] Playtesting is for awesomes

[student_of_impossibility]

In the few weeks since Second Calderon, everything's changed.

Uncle Bernard has been busy getting settled in as Count Calderon--somehow Tavi feels like he gets to see his uncle less. Amara's been coming to visit, which is nice; Tavi never thought he'd make friends with a Cursor of the Crown, but he has. A part of him hopes he can serve Alera with that much effectiveness one day, even though he doesn't think someone like him is likely to.

Some other part whispers he'll be a Cursor one day, and to be patient. Tavi hates being patient.

Aunt Isana's been trying to hide how worried she is about his moving away, although it only takes his enthusiasm for the classes he'll get to take to start putting a smile back on her face. And sometimes Tavi isn't sure if he should try to talk to Fade alone about what happened--Araris Valerian died fifteen years ago. Do you understand, Tavi?--and sometimes he knows with absolute certainty it isn't the right time.

Which is why Tavi's now out watching the sheep, instead of getting ready to go. He volunteered. So long as he's out here, things are almost like normal. He doesn't want to go back--there's too much to do, and see, and explore. He's getting all he ever wanted now, and doesn't even begin to imagine where it might lead.

He just needs a little quiet, and a little time. Sheep are good for that.

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[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi's eyebrows go up. "Fire? I know a couple firecrafters." He frowns a little, remembering Kord's family. At least Aric was cool.

And then, head tilted, he asks curiously, "So why was the breeze a bad thing? Not all that many freemen actually get to have two kinds of crafting, you know. Most people who have them end up Citizens or at least steadholders."

He's feeding Alec a lot of information--deliberately, to try to see what it is that is bothering him. Because the situation is utterly bizarre, really--and he can't begin to imagine why anyone would hide their crafting.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

The confusion on Alec's face is clear. He has no idea what Tavi is talking about once he started in on freemen, Citizens and steadholders.

Desperately he changes the subject. "Can we get my foot free?"

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi continues to eye him for a moment.

"...I think I'd want some help," he decides, crossing his arms. "I wouldn't be much use in getting you back on my own anyway. First, what's your name?"

Something very, very odd is going on, and crows if Tavi isn't going to figure out what it is.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

There was no harm in giving his name. "Alexander Troven," he says. Though the way he pronounces Alexander is 'Alec'zander'.

"What's yours?"

[student_of_impossibility]

"Troven?" Tavi tilts his head, puzzled. "That's... an odd name."

And then, shrugging to himself, he tells the boy, "Tavi of Bernardholt, in Calderon Valley. Which is here."

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Sadly, neither of them will likely realize that for Tavi's folk they do surname first and then personal name. After all, Alec has been called Troven before.

"Hello."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi just sighs. "Well. I guess we'd better get you out, and then we can figure out what happened to you. Just a moment, I'll go find someone who can help. Will you be all right on your own for a couple minutes? I can leave you the water."

After all, if they really need to, he's reasonably certain Fade could bloody well cut Alec free, assuming there is no other way. (Handy, that, he muses, having such a powerful metalcrafter around and willing to help him out.)

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. I'll be fine." He gives a tired and weary sigh. It really hasn't been his day.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi nods, and--leaving the water, as promised--heads off in the direction he last saw Fade. Ever since Second Calderon Aunt Isana's wanted him watched constantly, and Fade's seemed a little reluctant to let Tavi out of his sight. The boy's not really sure why they're being so bloody protective of him. It's getting a little stifling, really.

"Fade? Fade!" he calls. "I could use a little help! I found someone!"

Because that's oh so descriptive and helpful.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

Fade looks up from where he was watching the sheep. He'd heard Tavi go off and had watched him quietly. When the boy turned to go find him, he'd slipped back quietly to his seat on the rock.

He stood up and shuffled over. "Found?"

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi spreads his hands a little and shrugs. "It's complicated," when is it not, with Tavi, after all, "but he got caught. His ankle's stuck, probably sprained at least. I don't think it's any worse than that. I could use some help getting him out and back to the holt."

He smiles a little at his oldest friend. "Please?" Look at the puppy green eyes, Araris--you know you want to listen to him.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

With a bobbing nod, he says, "Help."

Tilting his head, he says "Where?" though he knows exactly where he means.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi mentally facepalms a little and just gives Fade a look. It's a look which says, I know you've been watching me. I know you're faking. Must you?

All he says, though, is "Over here," as he beckons and starts trotting back to the other boy.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

Innocent Fade is Innocent. He shuffles along, just behind Tavi, keeping a wary eye out. He didn't know the boy and he didn't trust him.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi is the true master of trickery and innocence--and doesn't for a moment believe that Innocent face.

Tavi leads him to Alec, then. "Fade, this is, ah, Troven. Troven, this is Fade. He'll help." Something about his tone implies 'He's safe.' Even with the touchy subject that Tavi doesn't know how to approach of who Fade actually is... there's just about no one he trusts above the man who helped raise him and who, with Bernard, substituted for his absent father.

(Septimus would approve.)

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Alec is empathic, and his empathy doesn't rely on water crafting so he can sense that Fade isn't exactly what he's acting as. Which is why he gives the man a cock-eyed look.

However, he doesn't act hostile, because he can tell that he wants to help.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

If the look is noticed, it's not shown on Fade's face. Instead he grunts and kneels down at the rock to look at the foot wedged in there.

"Hurt. Get out."

[student_of_impossibility]

"That was the idea, yes," Tavi agrees. He smiles at the slave (pseudo-slave, whichever) a little whimsically. "After all, you and Uncle Bernard helped me out of things like this before."

Even before Second Calderon, Tavi tended to talk to Fade fairly normally--but especially now, he doesn't bother to pretend that he thinks Fade won't understand.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

Having examined the stone, he gets up and searches around for a stick to leverage the foot out.

When he comes back he says, "Hold on." And gestures to Alec.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Alec gives the stick and his foot a wary look. He has a feeling it's going to hurt.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi smiles at Alec encouragingly. "It won't be that bad," he assures the boy. "Sprained ankles aren't the worst thing in the world."

Considering he's been nearly eaten and nearly killed by Thana Lilvia recently, his perspective may be... very skewed.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

Alec gives Tavi a skewed look and then one at Fade for equal measure.

[thinksincurves.livejournal.com]

The stick is shoved into the crack in the rock and then with a single, solid movement, Fade pushes down leveraging the foot free. The leather of the boot scrapes against the stone, but holds.

[elementwizard.livejournal.com]

This unbalances Alec and as he was standing in an awkward position he goes falling with a pinwheeling of arms.

[student_of_impossibility]

Luckily for him, Tavi's there and instinctively reaches out to catch him. It makes him stumble a little, but he doesn't fall over.