"Perhaps." His reply was muted. Doubtful, even. His eyes followed the woman's to the lord, though his fell once he recognized that the man wasn't going to make any move to stop his interaction with her.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
"I don't know much about you," Marcella went on, brushing her dark hair back behind her shoulders.
"Maybe that's because you never come to family meetings," Gaius said dryly, keeping his gaze on the trees. Marcella wrinkled her nose.
"I don't really care for those," she replied. "I like the real thing. So tell me about yourself, Cornyx. All I know now is that you worked for Sashka and you killed our men with ice."
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
"I-I'm afraid there's not all that much to be said," he said, mind scraping together something believable. He didn't know all that much about this world, but it didn't seem terribly different from Earth. He'd run cattle in his youth for a while, so that would be the easiest thing to explain that he'd done for most of his life--it was even plausible, assuming cows were a thing here, which he would've guessed from other similarities. Plus, cattle were common in the North on Earth; likely, the same thing could be said for here. But he'd try to be vague if he could. Merely mention livestock.
As was the truth, he didn't know his parents or place of birth, but was taken in by...Jared. That wasn't a name with religious connotations, unlike Jeremiah, which had been his true name. Speaking of religious connotations...Evelyn was probably safe, and Noah? He'd be Ned. Cornyx would've been his own name since his youth in this version of himself.
There were two realms that he was aware of so far, North and South. But he wasn't from either one and his accent revealed that. So, he had to be at least somewhat past his linguistic window when 'Jared' had taken him in, but too young to definitively recollect. A young child. Five or six, maybe. He'd encountered Sashka in the Northern Realm, and spent most of his time on this world in the North, so he chose to use that.
"I-I-I c-can't say I know all th-that much about my own history. I-I had a bit of a...f-f-falling out with my adoptive family, an-and was in a bit of a fix when I encountered Sashka. She helped me, s-so I helped her." So far, none of that was a lie, it was just somewhat misleading. "I-I don't always have a stutter and I w-was one of the best riders at home an-and there really isn't much more to me. Aside from the obvious."
Hopefully that would sate her curiousity. He didn't want to have to get too elaborate with his lie so long as he could avoid it.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
"Marcella, dear, I think that's pushing it a bit far," Gaius cut in, silencing her. "But I am curious as to how Sashka helped you, Cornyx. Did you two meet in the Southern Realm or elsewhere?" And how did this strange boy learn Upper Tongue? He can't have been here long, yet he spoke it near flawlessly. Only his accent betrayed his foreign heritage.
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
Marcella's question was met with his eyes falling to the floor. Not because of the fact he'd have to lie about it, but because of the reality. The shame of it. He was relieved when Gaius saved him from answering that query--not that the second one was all that much easier.
"We met here, in the North," he replied. "I'd g-gotten in with a not-so-friendly sort and sh-she offered me a place is all."
Sure. Call it that. Still not technically lying, though, just, once more, misleading.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
"That was very good of her." Gaius forced a smile. "And how long have you been in the North?" He drummed the fingers of his left hand on the length of his cane.
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
That was his first true lie. The smile was fake and Cornyx didn't return it, just looked back down at the ground.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
"Since you were six?" Gaius raised an eyebrow. He doubted that very much. "What brought your family here? And to what region of the Northern Realm?" The boy was spinning tales; that much was very certain. The only question was how much truth Gaius could glean from the lies.
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
((What's any region of the Northern Realm that Sashka would've been most likely to mention)) ((he's got nothing except whatever he's picked up from people talking))
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
(Ivarholm, Fledgeholm, Clawholm, Fangholm, and Venholm would all have been mentioned. Not likely any specific part of those territories.)
(Which may pose a problem)
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
He was skilled at bullshittery, but he didn't know enough. Didn't have the context. He had names, but the more he spoke, the closer to the edge he walked. Whether or not he could get away with dodging the conversation or declining to properly answer was an uncertainty, however, and he knew such a thing would say almost as much as an answer was. But to avoid it was a calculated risk. To reply was a gamble that could win or lose him the game in an instant.
"With all due respect, my lord, that isn't relevant to what I can do for you," he said, pulling his eyes off the ground to meet the Lord's. He could hear the thrum of his own heart in his ears. "My family disowned me, sir. They're no longer of any concern to me, nor should they in any way have an effect on my relationship with you."
He wasn't as steady as a more practiced and less anxious man might've been. The tension in his jaw was visible to someone as perceptive as Gaius. The minute shifting of his weight. The faint shallowness of his breaths.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
("He was skilled at bullshittery" is my new favorite sentence)
Gaius was silent for a long moment, locking his pale gaze on Cornyx. There was a bit more courage under that timid exterior than he had expected. That was impressive, especially after enduring twelve hard lashes in sub-zero temperatures.
"You have not been in the Northern Realm for thirteen years," he said flatly. "I daresay you have not been in the Northern Realm for two." The boy wasn't an idiot; he must know that Gaius would find out what he wanted soon enough. The fear was in every movement Cornyx made--his taut jaw, the restless fidgeting, the rapid breathing....yes, the boy knew. It was only a matter of how quickly he would break.
"I don't appreciate being lied to."
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
((Thank you~ *bows gallantly**trips over self**topples off stage and faceplants gloriously*))
The words that crossed his mind were ones that he bit back behind his tongue. The truth could, would, kill him. Even if Gaius didn't kill him for it, there were those who would. The other man recognized his untruths but that didn't make his lies any less plausible; sticking to the story might be the safest bet. The man didn't want to end his life. But he might make it worse. How far could he actually push this?
His gaze didn't leave Gaius'. Irises that were such a deep grey they were almost black, as black as eyes could get, his pupils nearly disappearing in the inky hue. Jaw tightening. Silence.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
Gaius waited a bit longer, not breaking eye contact. Then, slowly, he leaned back and gave a small nod. The boy had will.
"Very well," he said, voice soft. "This is a very dangerous game you're playing, but I'll indulge you." He didn't miss the look of warning Marcella shot at Cornyx, and his grip tightened slightly around his cane. He would have words with her later.
"I’m thinking about the aurora borealis. You can’t tell if it really does exist or if it just looks like existing. All things are so very uncertain, and that’s exactly what makes me feel reassured." --Too-Ticky
((I didn't expect Gaius to drop it good lord)) ((my heart))
That was it. It was done. Of course it was dangerous. His very existence was dangerous. But he'd survived so far. Nineteen years, few of which he would ever choose to return to. He'd half expected the man to throw him in another cell. His gaze flickered to the woman, scarce meeting her gaze before it moved away from the people again. His defiance had been fleeting, if enough for the situation.
He didn't answer, not quite knowing how to. He knew prison better than he knew politics. Not that gangs really seemed all that different, though: they just had guns. In the end, it was all about power and vendettas and who could manipulate and kill who before they fell themselves. Such was the game.
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost."
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