[?] They took your clothes (???)

[shibrogane]

The Semblance of Unity

1. Leila
2. Lily
3. America
4. Horace
5. Wilbur
6. Alexis
7. Temperance
8. Rabbit
9. Preacher
10. Jeremiah
11. Algie

Ezra showed up in Rabbit's domain, in the rooms set aside for Temperance's healing, quiet and bright-eyed and jittering. On his shoulder was a heavy canvas bag. Again, as before, he somehow skirted the laws of the Court that changed everyone else's clothing into formalwear; his jeans were stained at the knees and his t-shirt had a few holes near the hem. His jacket, a warm brown leather thing, was in good condition. He still looked like he didn't belong.  

[The Semblance of Unity]

Temperance looked up as someone entered, Wall & Melzack's Textbook of Pain balanced on one knee. It was one of the first editions, from '84 and filled with odd, illegible handwriting in the margins.

"E- Lord Ezra," she said, standing. "Are you hurt?" He looked alert, jittery even, but there seemed to be no outward signs of injury. She set the book down atop her chair.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"No more than usual," said Ezra, who made a concentrated effort to not jitter and only managed to look even more jittered. He was standing too still. "Did you know that your fingerprint is on the charter?"

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Oh. Well, I'm afraid Rabbit isn't here right now. Though he-" She cut herself off. What? The charter. She remembered riffling through the printed off listserv sheets, the limited discussions she'd had about the Charter, the meeting.

She closed her mouth with a snap. "Yes, I was aware." A different version of her, a different cycle had helped create the charter. Temperance wondered what had driven her to it. But why was Ezra bringing it up now?

shlbrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I need you to revoke your permission," said Ezra. (So that was why he was there. Not to see his grand-tithe, but to get her to take it back.) "Unbind your magic from the charter."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

She frowned. "Is it even a valid revocation if I'm not the right cycle? And... what happens if I do?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"It's still your magic," Ezra grated out. "Nothing will change for you if you do. It will free me from a living hell."

He produced the paper, put it down between them.

"I am a very dangerous enemy for a young noble to make," he said. It was a quiet threat.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"It does not matter if things do or do not change for me." Somehow, she doubted things would not change, anyway. She glanced at the paper, but only once.

"How will this effect Melany? How will this affect the court, especially considering we do not yet have a back-up?" Temperance was not here to perform Ezra's self-serving deeds, even if he was a powerful enemy.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I don't care what happens to the Court," said Ezra. "I imagine the fetches will be free to pursue their own desires again. Melany will be free. Which is what she deserves."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"It's irresponsible to dissolve a system without considering all consequences and setting up fail-safes to counteract them." She twisted her hands together. "Melany deserves to live a normal life, without the trauma done to her. But we should wait until we've more knowledge about the situation and alternatives as a whole."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Every moment delayed is another moment that an innocent girl has to live in fear that someone you put in her path will turn her into a monster who tortures her friends," Ezra said. "Without Hart, she could be living her life. Eve and Alexis would still have their magic. You are at fault for that. You can make amends, and all you have to do is revoke your permission for your magic to be used."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I know exactly what I am at fault for, thank you, Ezra." Her lips thinned. "I can and will revoke it, but not now. There are too many unknowns and there's that meeting shortly which may shed more light on things."

Her fingers continued to twist. It was a gamble, to not revoke her magical permission, but there was just so much uncertainty. It would be horribly unwise to just do so... And... she frowned. What if he meant free as in dead? No, surely not.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I'm afraid not now isn't an option," said Ezra, leaning forward, both hands on the table. "Either you do it now or you die. It's nice to have your permission. But all I really need is your blood."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"What does a few more days matter?" She recoiled.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"The time for explanations is over," said Ezra. His jitters were gone. "It was over a thousand ******** years ago when my fiancee tortured me for months because some Godforsaken version of you thought that was how it ought to go! Make your choice, tithe." The burns on his face were crawling higher, spreading.

The Semblance of Unity