inbox | eastbound

[downswing]

lan wangji
missives | encounters

Comments

un: ut malum pluvia | text

[somebadnews]

[ He's seen him floating around, so he knows he's still alive. Five left it to his sister to decide what to share with the others, but he owes Lan Wangji a little more than that. ]

I never got a chance to interrogate them. They were already disposing of the body when I checked the night you were poisoned, but I doubt he acted alone. It probably won't be the last assassination attempt we'll see.

[downswing]

Perhaps we err in restraint.

[somebadnews]

Did you have something in mind?

[downswing]

I tire of puppetry.

[somebadnews]

It did nearly get you killed. But if you're planning on striking back, you need more of a plan than that.

[downswing]

I intend to protect my family.

[somebadnews]

[ Shocking they have anything in common, really. ]

Then you should know that outing them makes them more of a target.

[downswing]

Keep silent. Bend knees, bow heads.

That is your way?

[somebadnews]

I'm telling you to be smart. They'll be expecting another attack, and it won't take much to throw them into chaos.

I'm not against it, but timing is everything.

[downswing]

They expect only service of us.

[somebadnews]

We're underestimated. And yet someone thought to make some exotic poison that could take out the strongest of us.

[downswing]

We pour their cup first.

[somebadnews]

I wouldn't do it that way. It's too slow.

[downswing]

You would wrest pains of them.

[somebadnews]

[ If he could say that's the reason... ]

It's inefficient. When resurrection is an option, you need to take extra precautions. Why give them a chance to find a cure?

[downswing]

( Discipline. Tame the impulse. Breathe. )


I do not begrudge attempt.

Only their failure.

[somebadnews]

They were never going to succeed.

[downswing]

And yet, nearly prevailed.

[somebadnews]

[ If they had, he would have fixed it. Then he would have killed everyone in that kitchen just to make sure he didn't miss anything. ]

I'll remember. My family was there too

[downswing]

Mind to matter.

If a dark hand led to poison, Lady Vannozza's held the plainest intent.

[somebadnews]

[ ... Funny, something just occurred to him. ]

It wouldn't be impossible to find out.

[downswing]

( A pause, then: )


His spirit, unfled, could be queried.

[somebadnews]

Conjure the man they accused? You can do that?

[downswing]

If the spirit lingered.

[somebadnews]

[ Well shit. Who knew he had good ideas? ]

What do you need to find out?