Fic: Demons'll Charm (Swordspoint, R)
Mar. 9th, 2007 01:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brigdhTitle: Demons'll Charm
Author: Brigdh
Ratings/Warnings: R for violence, I suppose.
Summary: Alec causes collateral damage.
Notes: Written for the "demons'll charm you with a smile for a while" prompt over at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
31_days. 500 words exactly. Crossposted also to _riverside.
Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Ellen Kushner.
***
Alec was mad. Richard knew that, of course; it was hard to miss, given that much of what he said had only a tenuous connection to reality. There was something wrong with Alec, some dangerous indifference that was obvious in his words and the set of his limbs like the warning colors on a poisonous animal, which made most people avoid him. Richard found it fascinating. He knew now that the scholar was more likely to do harm to himself than to anyone else, but Alec was still different, still something to be handled with caution lest it turn on you without warning.
Currently Alec was drinking all of the wine Richard had bought, having claimed that it would be bad luck to buy his own after chance had brought them to the same tavern. Richard suspected Alec had been looking for him, but didn't mind; Alec was turning languid as he grew drunk, his movements slowing and his accent becoming more pronounced. They didn't touch, but Alec slouched over the table, his fingers curled over the edge of his wineglass- which had been Richard's- dipping into the liquid inside, and watched Richard steadily from under heavy eyelids.
Some new swordsman also sat at their table; he'd wanted advice, but Richard had been paying more attention to Alec, and so afterwards he was never certain if the man had said or done something, or if Alec had simply decided to provoke him.
"Excuse me," Alec said, interrupting the man. "Are you actually unaware that you're not wanted here? Do shut up and go away."
Richard turned, surprised; Alec's voice had been flat and vicious. "What's wrong?"
"Do you enjoy it, all these people who want things from you, their desperate desire for St Vier's favor? It's disgusting." Alec didn't take his eyes off the man. "It won't work. Leave. You're making an idiot of yourself; I can see it, if you can't."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" The man lurched angrily to his feet. Alec lifted his chin, his teeth bared in a savage grin; Richard glanced between them and stood. The man stared. "Didn't you hear what he said?"
Richard nodded, drawing his sword. The fight was too fast to be very interesting, but it had been a surprise. Richard wondered if Alec would be angry that he'd stepped in, and in fact when Richard came back to him, he was sitting very straight in his chair, his hands gripping his knees. "You killed him," he said. "I didn't ask you to do that."
"I know." Richard shook his sword to scatter blood from it; he'd need to clean it more thoroughly later.
Alec stared at the body. "You might have taken his side as well as mine."
"No. Then you would be dead, and he would still be here." Richard paused. "Leave it, Alec. Come home with me."
Alec dragged his eyes up to Richard and then laughed, color coming back into his face. "Yes."
***
Author: Brigdh
Ratings/Warnings: R for violence, I suppose.
Summary: Alec causes collateral damage.
Notes: Written for the "demons'll charm you with a smile for a while" prompt over at
31_days. 500 words exactly. Crossposted also to _riverside.Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Ellen Kushner.
Alec was mad. Richard knew that, of course; it was hard to miss, given that much of what he said had only a tenuous connection to reality. There was something wrong with Alec, some dangerous indifference that was obvious in his words and the set of his limbs like the warning colors on a poisonous animal, which made most people avoid him. Richard found it fascinating. He knew now that the scholar was more likely to do harm to himself than to anyone else, but Alec was still different, still something to be handled with caution lest it turn on you without warning.
Currently Alec was drinking all of the wine Richard had bought, having claimed that it would be bad luck to buy his own after chance had brought them to the same tavern. Richard suspected Alec had been looking for him, but didn't mind; Alec was turning languid as he grew drunk, his movements slowing and his accent becoming more pronounced. They didn't touch, but Alec slouched over the table, his fingers curled over the edge of his wineglass- which had been Richard's- dipping into the liquid inside, and watched Richard steadily from under heavy eyelids.
Some new swordsman also sat at their table; he'd wanted advice, but Richard had been paying more attention to Alec, and so afterwards he was never certain if the man had said or done something, or if Alec had simply decided to provoke him.
"Excuse me," Alec said, interrupting the man. "Are you actually unaware that you're not wanted here? Do shut up and go away."
Richard turned, surprised; Alec's voice had been flat and vicious. "What's wrong?"
"Do you enjoy it, all these people who want things from you, their desperate desire for St Vier's favor? It's disgusting." Alec didn't take his eyes off the man. "It won't work. Leave. You're making an idiot of yourself; I can see it, if you can't."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" The man lurched angrily to his feet. Alec lifted his chin, his teeth bared in a savage grin; Richard glanced between them and stood. The man stared. "Didn't you hear what he said?"
Richard nodded, drawing his sword. The fight was too fast to be very interesting, but it had been a surprise. Richard wondered if Alec would be angry that he'd stepped in, and in fact when Richard came back to him, he was sitting very straight in his chair, his hands gripping his knees. "You killed him," he said. "I didn't ask you to do that."
"I know." Richard shook his sword to scatter blood from it; he'd need to clean it more thoroughly later.
Alec stared at the body. "You might have taken his side as well as mine."
"No. Then you would be dead, and he would still be here." Richard paused. "Leave it, Alec. Come home with me."
Alec dragged his eyes up to Richard and then laughed, color coming back into his face. "Yes."
