two. spam. graceless; i figured out how to be faithless

[indispensible]

[Serafina told Vin that she had to do this - not just for the witches, but for everyone; not just for the people in this world, but for the people in all worlds. When Vin asked for further explanation, she received none, with Serafina's apologies. It wasn't that she wouldn't say; it was that she just didn't know.]

[Vin's love for her clan, for her people, is strong enough to overcome her distaste for being so close to so many people. She is capable of passing (most of the time) as a woman like any other, though Hal has to take care to stay close to her, not to stray. It makes her skin crawl, and his too, and they can't ever do it for more than a few hours at a time.]

[While they manage, they infiltrate. Vin is capable, when at her best, of seeming as high or low society as she likes. When she speaks to the Gyptians, she is almost honest in her bearing, even telling a few higher-ups of her goal: to gather intelligence on the General Oblation Board and its doings. Some of the very old men remember her. Some of them don't.]

[In high society, no one remembers her. All of those who were alive the last time she was here were so small that they have no memory at all of that time, or else don't believe there could be a witch among them. (She has been here before. There was a man. But he died.)]

[She flits among them like a butterfly, primped and polished and vapid. Only her eyes go sharp every once in a while: not enough to give her away entirely, but odd, absolutely.]

[At night, she can hide in the shadows. She can listen to clandestine meetings. And later, she can fly on her pine branch through the clouds that cling to her clothing like lovers' fingers. They don't want her to go, oh no. They want to love her.]

[It's good. Because she loves them. In the sky, that's the only time she truly smiles.]

Comments

[youwillgotohell]

[Drustan lifts one of his front legs in an awkward little wave to Hal. Morgana smiles, familiar enough to accept the softening of Vin's mouth for what it is, but it only lasts briefly.] Waiting, [she says softly, even though she means biding our time, and plotting. Morgause is better at that than she is. Morgana just wants to strangle him in his sleep. She's capable of evil, too.]

[indispensible]

Waiting, [she repeats, and her look is - not sad, but not even slightly happy, either. She's tried revenge. It doesn't do much.]

[Sighing, she tilts her head up at the sky.]

For how long?

[youwillgotohell]

[It's all Morgana can think of. It's all she can hold onto.]

Not long, I hope. [Drustan says nothing on her shoulder, but he fixes his eyes on Morgana's face. It's hard to read expressions in a chameleon, but there is something inherently disagreeing - and disappointed in him. It's been like this for months: he wants to forgive, and Morgana can't forget.]

What are you doing here?

[indispensible]

[Hal stares at Drustan - unblinking, likely unsettling. He doesn't care, and neither does Vin, whose stare is close enough as to be its twin.]

Gathering information. Something bad is happening. And I'm going to make it stop.

[youwillgotohell]

[Just a touch; Drustan shrinks down against Morgana's shoulder. She spares a glance for him, but it's all annoyance, no concern. He can be cowardly, and it drives her mad.]

Something bad has been happening, [she mutters.] How?