towerofanimus | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Characters: Rider (Alexander the Great)

macedonian and Waver Velvet

nonacquiescent
Setting: First the cafeteria and then probably the forest
Summary: Waver's freezing, Rider's a bro.
Warnings: Probably hunting later on

[Waver sits, huddled up with his blanket from his bed wrapped around him, part of it even over his head, and two sweaters on, but it's still not enough. Who thought it was a good idea to turn off the heat in winter?! Normally it doesn't matter that he's so weak and prone to illness, and it's pretty amazing he hasn't caught whatever's going around, but when he doesn't have proper clothing to be in the cold, it's definitely a problem. He can hardly move, and he definitely can't make a fire - mostly because he can't chop the wood, the fire itself is easy - so he just huddles into himself, shivering and sniffling wherever he goes. This time it's in the cafeteria, eating his nutrition bars.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That should do! It'll likely be too dull to use afterwards, but that's not important.

[A dismissive wave of his hand—What happens to other people's stuff isn't his problem...] This is good! We should collect what we need and go immediately! We may as well!

[Rider, please. At least this time it's not something belonging to Waver that's on the line, so he...doesn't really care much either... The admins can get another, whatever.]

Right...I don't think you need to be without your cloak for long either.

[He looks up and offers a small smile - his way of giving thanks without hurting his own pride.]

[He chuckles, accepting Waver's ~~tsundere~~ thanks without further comment.]

Hou, that will not be too much of a problem! This is no more than the cold of the Persian desert at night, so I will not be troubled by this.

[A laugh as he stands] And besides, I will be warmed up plenty by a hunt! It has been quite a while since I have gone hunting myself... Perhaps not since I was a boy about your age, in fact.

[He frowns, biting down on his lip. He doesn't like the implications, that at about his own age, Rider was becoming important and successful, while he's sitting in a cafeteria, only having a break from his shivering because of charity.]

Don't kings go hunting all the time? Or were you too busy taking over all the other kingdoms?

[He chuckles, nodding]

They often do, yes! But kings often hunt for sport and leisure, neither of which did my campaign necessarily allow. Some of my soldiers certainly did hunt to pass time! But my leisure was spent elsewhere, for I found enough fight on the battlefield that I did not feel the need to seek more.

[Now that his muscles have loosened with the warmth, Waver stands as well, stretching a bit.]

Then did you do anything in that time other than read the same books repeatedly?

[Yes, that's right, ask about him while making it sound like an insult rather than interest...]

Hou, you think so little of me, boy?

[He sounds serious for a moment, one eye closed, but it quickly spreads into a smile again, and he laughs, starting towards the kitchen.]

My leisure was spent perhaps not as leisure—My reign is remembered for its far reaches, but of less glory than conquest is the work that came with such an empire. There were always matters to see to, both Greek and Persian, and it was my duty as king to see to both equally. And that is just politics! There was also the matter of tactical advances, of the welfare of my men, of Roxana, Stateira and Parysatis. There is much to a king that is not so glorious and what makes it difficult work.

[He glances back with a wide smile, but it's softer than his usual oafish grin] Homer's words were the shores upon which I took refuge from these realities of glory and of conquest. They were the only true leisure I chose, for the greatness of the task that I was given required that I should devote my life wholeheartedly to its pursuit.

[He follows, paying close attention, but still trying to look uninterested.]

Roxana, Stateira and Parysatis - your wives, right? I guess that sort of excess would cause a lot of work.

Quite so! One wife is enough work, but three with fiery spirits to each of them is a triumph! Perhaps that is my greatest feat...

[His boisterous grin returns with his merry laugh, even though there's the sense that he's not quite joking...]

...You're serious, aren't you?

Isn't the point of having a bunch of wives to have a bunch of kids? Especially for someone with a huge empire. It sounds like there was something you forgot about, anyway.

[It's not like he's been reading about Alexander or anything...]

[He rubs the back of his head]

Ahh, yes, that is the point.

[And now they're at the kitchen, so Rider starts rummaging around for a knife suitable for skinning animals] But I was never too interested in such things. I suppose in part I did forget about the fact that there should be a successor to my empire, but...

[He actually seems rather embarrassed, still rubbing at the back of his head] Well, Stateira and Parysatis were great women, and thought I married them for political reasons, they held my greatest respect, and a respect thought not befitting to women, and especially Persian women. Though I could have forced an heir from them, certainly, it would have been at the cost of their trust, which was something I held too valuable to throw away so callously.

And in honesty, I wish Roxana could have come to Persia with me, to be by my side to see all of its beauty, but she could not safely travel with us. [That embarrassment does seem to fall, though, as he chuckles, seemingly remembering something fond.] But it is not something too sad, I must say! She was a woman of great fire and independence, and she knew before we wed that I should head further east, and that she would be unlikely to find family by becoming my wife. That was our understanding, and our great love, so that she should be willing to sacrifice all that would give her status for the sake of my dream.

Shouldn't you be more concerned about that? It caused a lot of trouble, you know. Besides, who wouldn't want to be the mother to the heir to a huge empire. Other women were coming forward with lies later to try to say they were, that just proves it.

They never write much about the other two, mostly Roxana. They all must have been pretty impressive to put up with you.

[Especially at the end there, man.]

[He laughs happily, nodding along. Of course, this is while he's picking out various knives, testing them for some unseen quality just by studying each]

Impressive is quite the world for them, yes! I will not bore you with tales of married life, but for its politics... Roxana was the only one who could have born a suitable heir, for a son who was half Persian could have never ruled over the Greeks.

And she would have surely wanted to be given that honor, do not misunderstand! We often talked of our eventual son, but it was through letters and messengers, which is great talk, but of no action. My closest comrades often said that I should leave the battlefield to give my attention to this matter, but the battlefield always called me with greater urgency than the future, you see.

Well, it's pretty obvious you live in the moment without worrying about the future.

But you do know she ended up having a son, right? Or...

['were you too crazy at the end for her pregnancy to register in your tiny brain'- alright that might be in poor taste, so he'll just let the implication hang.]

[There's a long, thoughtful noise as he turns over a knife in his hands. His expression is serious, but whether it's at the knife or what Waver's said is hard to tell until he speaks again.]

I do know, but only as a result of some of the strange happenings that I don't quite understand of being a Heroic Spirit and a Servant. I did not know when I died.

[But the knife seems to be adequate, since he reaches to grab a towel to wrap the blade and tuck it into his belt.] But this should do! Shall we venture towards the forest? Ahh, though if there is some kind of sack here, that would be useful as well, on second thought.

That's kind of sad...

[He frowns, looking up at Rider. It's hard to imagine this massive man died so easily.]

I kind of doubt they just have sacks lying around, though.

[And so lamely, as he would say himself. Okay, maybe not "lamely" but you get the idea]

You do not think so? I was thinking perhaps to hold foods... Even a barrel would work, but I would have to carry that myself, wouldn't I?

[He laughs, starting to rummage around for something to work. He'll probably just end up finding a big plastic bag, which will work...]

But you know, I find it a bit amusing that you have grown so much! It was not long ago that you turned to a book for answers rather than the person right in front of you. [He turns back to look at him, though, making a motion with his hand to symbolize height] Now if only you could work on the other kind of growing, you would be well off, eh?

There's nothing wrong with my height...!! We don't all need to be giants like you!

Anyway-!

[He turns around, crossing his arms.]

It's just that last time the book was wrong. If you can have the truth or something a bit off, what are you going to choose?

[He grins, and does find a sizeable plastic bag that potatoes or something (??) were probably stored in at some point. Rider stands again to his full height, which is basically just making his point here]

Ha! Perhaps not a giant, but a few daktylos also wouldn't hurt! You worry so about how you are perceived, and a good height will help with that!

[Another good-natured laugh, and he starts towards the door. OFF TO THE FOREST.] But with any luck, you may still have time yet left to grow. I thought about it later, and perhaps those records that claimed I was a short man were from my youth—I grew many palaistē as my father and I went south on a campaign, so... I was seventeen or eighteen then, I believe? I only remember because it seemed that I needed new armor fitted by the month.

...Really? When you were that old? Then... [he can't help grinning to himself. As much as he tries not to want to...it would be nice to get a little taller, people would take him more seriously, it's true. At the very least, they couldn't make fun of his lack of height.] there's some possibility...

[silly tsundere waver, you just proved you do care...]

I would say there is! [He laughs Hou, perhaps with luck after all this complaining, the gods would make you a giant yourself...

After everything else they've done, it would be the least they could do...

[But really he doesn't want to be huge, don't get the wrong idea, he's perfectly happy as he is!!]

[He laughs loudly at that, nodding]

If we had a temple, I would offer a sacrifice and day of feasting to give you a better chance!

...You actually think that would help?

I guess it's the thought that counts, huh. Not everyone has their king take such concern over something so trivial...

Heh, that much I cannot be sure of... Half the time it seemed that our ceremonies were for naught, but I enjoyed the wine too much to care as the feasts went on!

[and that's how cities burned down...]