[ further proof, alhaitham surmises, that insults work as intended. kaveh retreats back to his divan. he curls into a form that creatures of the forest take on when they are burnt alive - head to knees, legs to chest, the slow immolation of skin and feather and bone taking their spiraling path down to the curl of protective hands. what poets will surmise is that the creature is protecting their heart. what amurta biologists know is that the creature is protecting their head. tonight, once again, kaveh has been derailed from his downward spiral of self-immolating grief. the quiet whisper of his earlier plea has morphed into the raised voice of an imperious demand. alhaitham thinks - that kaveh has not known the shape of his skin for some time. lokapala has been peeled from it. lokapala has been cloistered within him. but he is still lokapala, down to his very marrow, a prince from a society desperate to create equality from inequity, who has yet to know what to allow himself to be.
with anyone else, the answer is easy to say: alhaitham does not, in fact, care if one wishes or does not wishes to speak. but this is kaveh. it was kaveh, it has not yet been kaveh, and it will be kaveh. there were two children up in the tower, once. the tower is still there. both children are still here. two people died that day.
alhaitham breathes out from behind his book. the faint amusement in his tone says thus: ]
Of course. How could I forget. I was attempting to bar you from speaking this entire time, Prince of the Lokapala.
[ the pages flip closed. alhaitham rises. ]
I am dousing the torches. Sleep, or don't, it matters not to me. But remember - you will be meeting two more of your kin in two days' time. Consider what you will say to them; it should be easy for you, since you will want to.
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Date: 2023-05-28 03:44 am (UTC)with anyone else, the answer is easy to say: alhaitham does not, in fact, care if one wishes or does not wishes to speak. but this is kaveh. it was kaveh, it has not yet been kaveh, and it will be kaveh. there were two children up in the tower, once. the tower is still there. both children are still here. two people died that day.
alhaitham breathes out from behind his book. the faint amusement in his tone says thus: ]
Of course. How could I forget. I was attempting to bar you from speaking this entire time, Prince of the Lokapala.
[ the pages flip closed. alhaitham rises. ]
I am dousing the torches. Sleep, or don't, it matters not to me. But remember - you will be meeting two more of your kin in two days' time. Consider what you will say to them; it should be easy for you, since you will want to.