[RE] for the many

WESSEX

the wraith

As the first familiar face appears, Wessex allows herself to relax and drop the readiness to use Loren’s magic. It probably wouldn’t have done any good anyway, but what else was she going to do, physically fight the monsters? Cause that turned out so well for everyone else.

Instead, she offers a hand to weary shoulders, a look of understanding and comfort to the soot-stained and throat-seared refugees from the Guildhall, counting the people as they come in and listening as people deliver their reports. Seeing Rex’s injuries first hand sends a vicious wave of anger through her at Sam’s thoughtlessness, but her sister is clearly in good hands. Lily, she thinks, of the redhead who apparently kept the Luxere close. Good thinking. Deimos reeks of smoke and ash and is clearly in no mood to talk, so Wessex does nothing to hold him back.

Maybe later. Maybe after LongNight, before the portal, before their world will move blindly forward. Maybe not. Maybe they are too far gone and too close, too raw to pretend to speak casually of things any more.

What does surprise the Queen is Jigano ‘s decision to tell her what happened. She is thankful for it, but the news he delivers is half revelation and half confirmation of her fears. Roana - dead. No loss there. And there is irony in the fact that if she’d just stayed put, stayed under lock and key in the Temple, she might have lived. This might not have happened, if she was indeed the catalyst. But who’s to say? If they opened the door that often… well, there’s a learning curve, isn’t there? Even for those who were born and raised in the Grounds (yeah, she’s looking at you, Sam). A sad grimace of knowing spreads slowly across her face. “Lucky for us, LongNight is almost over. Stay vigilant. We’ll retreat to the Medical College if need be - that door’s remained shut more or less and should remain so. Spread the word if you can.”.  

No casualties - the steel-backed Queen allows a small smile to Ronin as he passes with Aoife. It’s a small mercy. “The Medical College is quiet, if you want to go there. Just make sure the door is closed tightly behind you.” And then they’re moving on, they’re all moving in and she finds Amun. ‘Can’t lose the only flunkie I’ve got so soon. That would just be irresponsible.’

She waits until everyone is in - however long it takes, whomever still stands patiently within the light of the luxere - then shuts the door tightly behind them all and locks it.

Just a few more nights. They can surely get through a few more night, can't they?

she's pullin' the trigger

cause it's me and the moon, she says

and i have no trouble with that