[ He does repeat it, mostly because following instructions is the easiest thing to do. Moving is a challenge, anything so delicate as curling his fingers more so, but he tries. Eventually, with only a little guidance from Sypha, he has both arms around Alucard’s waist. For now, this feels safe. The worst of the horror is behind them, and the aftermath of it is yet to come. He buries his face in Alucard’s chest, trapped between him and Sypha. ]
[He kisses the top of Trevor's head, then stays there so that the two of them have Trevor hidden from the world between them. It's hard to manage, squishing them both together to manage it (Trevor's so damn big) but they do it all the same.]
[ It isn’t quite what Alucard meant by recovering, probably. But it’s the definition he’s willing to consider. Just getting the parts of himself that he’s lost back. Everything else- well. Hoping to not be afraid requires a willingness to admit to being afraid in the first place. There’s a long pause. And then, quietly, with an immense amount of effort behind speaking in a more complete sentence. ]
[ At that, he relaxes. He’s already pressed against Alucard’s chest but he sinks further. The one thing he’s been able to admit to himself that he’s afraid of won’t come to pass. It’s an immense relief. Eventually, his breathing becomes steady. He wants to stay awake, to enjoy the luxury of being between them both again, but this is the first time in days that the pain has relented enough to let him rest. He’s safe and warm and comfortable, and those things make it all too easy to drift off. ]
[There's a lot to unpack that in all of this, it is Dracula that loomed largest in Trevor's head. Alucard knows he doesn't have the time to do that, and so all he focuses on is murmuring soft things into the top of Trevor's head, waiting for him to fall asleep.
Because once that happens, he and Sypha will have to move, take stock of everything, and figure out what is to be done. Sypha will handle the spell work, Alucard will have to tell Trevor's sisters that their brother is safe but coated in iron and...
[ He doesn't answer properly, but makes a vaguely positive noise against Alucard's chest. Sypha stirs and disentangles herself. Trevor seems about ready to complain about the loss, but she's quick to return with a bottle of the sleeping medicine in hand. This was the original intended use for it, after all. An anesthetic that can safely be used on humans and supernatural beings alike, the recipe to be given to Lisa once the dreaming side effects were eliminated.
The proper version is mostly complete, but the flawed, dreaming medicine will serve better for them anyway. Keeping him asleep for whatever needs to be done to remove the ink is probably the kindest thing they can do, and Alucard will have to leave at some point. Best for all of them that they give Alucard some control over what happens inside his head right now. ]
Drink. [ She says, and her voice is soft but the command there is clear. Trevor drinks when the bottle is held to his lips. His gaze becomes unfocused, from tiredness rather than from pain, and he falls still aside from the rise and call of his chest and shoulders. ] He'll join you, once he can.
[ She only reacts with anything other than efficiency once Trevor is asleep, her own breath becoming ragged as she grits her teeth and expels the stink of burning, melting metal from the cave with a gust of air that's far more powerful than it needs to be. ]
[Alucard holds onto Trevor until it is certain that the Belmont is asleep and well in dreams. He holds onto Trevor until the gust of air has flown past, his hair a perfect disarray from the force of it. It is only then does he reach over to grab a few pillows, and he gingerly replaces himself with them and with all too warm furs to make sure Trevor stays asleep and comfortable.
He's the one that picks up the horrible lump of iron from the center of the fire pit, and he moves it further back into the cave. There's a horrible chance that they may need to look at some of the non-destroyed spell work on it, otherwise he'd have chucked it away with great speed and enthusiasm into the deepest part of the forest.]
My mother sent these along when I described the writing system, but I don't know if they will truly be helpful.
[They're a set of magnets. Two of them, both terribly strong.]
They may be able to pull all of the iron under his skin into one spot.
[It's going to be a complicated spell to break. A little science could help hack it if they're lucky.]
[ The certainty in her voice wavers for a moment before she steels herself again, taking the magnets. They're a long way inland, but unless the daylight can stop Alucard then she is the only one here bound by mortal means of travel. ] -I want you here. for as long as you can be.
[ She kneels, pulling aside the furs to expose an arm and choosing the first command to work on carefully. One that isn't too close to a large blood vessel. That she isn't risking too much damage, experimenting with. Once she finds one ('punish the forgemaster') she takes a magnet to it with trembling hands. Sweat beads on Trevor's forehead as she does, as the magnet moves the iron through his flesh. His fists curl in his sleep. It's rare for him to show pain, usually parts of him just die away and he doesn't seem overly concerned about it. The medicine works, at least, and he doesn't wake.
When she's done, the dark purple mark has spread as the iron was dragged about. It looks worse, initially, a horrible dark bruise. But the words are no longer legible. It's just a theory, one she can't test with Trevor asleep and the order apparently being nonsense anyway, but she's become good at finding loopholes in these things. The words aren't there anymore. And so the orders- hopefully, they are no longer binding. ]
Yes. Besides, someone must guard this place while you work.
[They have to be cold things for this next chunk of time. All the more reason to indulge now, to kiss Sypha's forehead and murmur softly against that spot that she has this and can do more good than anyone else can for Trevor. It's awful to look at, but it is also true that there is no one better qualified, save for Lisa Tepes. Alucard suspects that that? Isn't going to happen.
Sypha works. Alucard hovers for a few moments to make sure that she has everything under control, and it seems that the magnets will work for now. The magic that is surface level, that can e dealt with. That feels like a victory.
Then he moves to the mouth of the cave. Moves there, then tries to summon any one of Trevor's sisters. Each of their beliefs is repeated in turn, but in his own show of bias, Juliet's is mentioned with slightly more frequency.
For something like this, she seems the best to deal with.]
The first of Leon's children to be created of something without sharp teeth or claws, with only keen eyes and ears and wits to hunt with, might have felt a little inferior. Formed that belief a little aggressively. As a rabbit, her winter coat is barely visible against the snow until she moves closer, takes a humanoid form, and immediately starts to say something that begins with 'fu-' at the smell of iron.
She catches herself. Proper ladies don't say words that begin with 'fu-'. ]
You found him, then.
[ ...the alternative is that Alucard has summoned her here for some other reason involving burning iron, and he doesn't seem like the random murder type. She likes to think she has a good intuition for avoiding the random murder types. It's why she keeps trying so hard to get out of delivering messages to Dracula. ]
We did. I apologize for the smell, it's...[Alucard sighs, breathing out before he dares to continue.]
He was covered in it. Restrained, the stuff was cold forged. I don't know how safe it is for you three to approach the cave at the moment, and we need to ask more of you yet.
He's retrieved. That's more than we should ask of an outsider. The rest- [ And there is a 'the rest'. She isn't seething for vengeance, not in any obvious way. Their oldest sister will be. And- well. dogs always like to have meat. ] -can wait until this work is done.
[ Juliet's demeanor is usually jovial. Not now. She shakes her head. Alucard didn't ask, but- ]
I'll do all I can, but doubt I can be closer than this. I can call our patriarch, if the two of you need help. He is the eldest. Part human. He could be close enough to help.
[ She tugs at one of her ears in thought, weighing options. ]
You do- like him remembering you, yes? Most humans like being remembered, I've found. It's convenient for them.
Salt water- [ Her face twists into a grimace. Iron on him is one thing. It doesn't need to be rusted, just removed. Salt water implies iron in him. ] -That would work. I'm the fastest. Messengers really ought to be the fastest, you know. I can fetch it.
[ She's babbling. That's normal, but there's a more manic quality to it now. It's not that she simply likes to fill silence. She's panicked. ]
Normally, if one of us were badly hurt, we would just go through the rebirth instead. You know. With the- stabbing. It's easier than recovering the human way, especially from iron. A lot less painful. But his last rebirth was so recent. He might not pass everything on to himself. So if being remembered is important, I suppose that makes it a bad option.
[Alucard's face makes it clear that he doesn't like the idea of rebirth. It disturbed him deeply the first time, and he can't imagine a second one in the short time frame would be wise.]
Think of it this way: figuring out how to reverse the problems would allow for the information to be applied to much smaller problems too. [Is he applying science to this? Yes.] It's...we can make something good come of it.
[They're wasting time. They're both panicking.]
Meet me at the mouth of the cave, or else as close to the front of it that you can get. Okay?
An hour. If I ride the lines, I can be to the sea and back in an hour.
[ The unicorn is waiting in the forest somewhere, audible but difficult to see, white against white snow. Juliet doesn't waste any more time, heading to climb onto the creature's back.
True to her word, she is back within the hour. Sypha spends the time finding the worst of the orders - some demand obedience, others calm. Some, like the command to stand, no longer seem to be binding and can be left for last. She doesn't care to leave any of them for last, but some have to come before others. Methodically, she smears the ink over each one. It's a horrible process, leaving Trevor more bruised than not, but it's also one that erases most of the commands themselves and leaves only the damage.
Juliet arrives about where she was before, not entirely sure about getting closer, a large clay pot in her arms. ]
[It's all the words Alucard has left, in truth, and once Juliet departs, he returns to the mouth of the cave. He yells in, tells Sypha that what she's requested is en route, and that for now, all they can do is wait.
He spends the next hour watching her work, trying to understand what it is that she is doing and how the spell has worked in the first place. The writing, that makes sense, but there must be an underlying base to the spell that makes the writing take effect.
But then he hears the unicorn, and he runs out to meet Juliet.]
I have. They will not come here unless called. It might go poorly if they did, I fear. She sets the pot down. They have seen much more of your father than I. Hunted him longer. They might- place blame unnecessarily.
[ Her tone isn't quite as grim as her words. The journey has done her some good, shaken her out of her shock. ]
It would be unnecessary blame, yes? If he needed so much iron to contain our youngest, I think perhaps I would be concerned for him.
[Alucard hefts the put up into his arms, and the way he holds it, he's treating it as if it is some sort of lifeline. Sypha hasn't specified what the salt water is required for, but he understands that it is important.]
It would be very unnecessary, as he had nothing to do with this. This was all a human's doing, independent of anyone else.
A human. [ She isn't happy about it, but for a moment she seems to grow brighter. Eyes sharper. The dull paleness that the presence of iron brought to her skin gone. Nothing is truly prey. ]
That is for the best, perhaps. Our queen cannot make war upon humanity. Were it any other manner of creature, she might see fit to use this. To drag your father into it somehow.
[ It's not the best of bright spots, but it's one. She's sticking to it. ]
Shall I wait here for news? Or is there anything else you need?
Depending on what else comes of this, I can't make promises or predictions with regards to my father's future actions. [He saw his father's eyebrows react to the words forgemaster. He's heard the word once or twice before, when his father returned home and spoke of travels. In all of Alucard's anger, that he noted.] I don't know what else to say on that topic.
[Alucard's not terribly good at controlling his own fury right now. He's only managing because Trevor's recovery is the priority, not his own anger.]
There's nothing else we need yet. I'll try and contact you in a few hours with an update of progress, if that's acceptable?
I fear any payment I tried to offer you would be seen as suspicious by your father, so I will give only my thanks. Whether the speaker's treatment succeeds or not, even if he must be reborn, this is better. He is free, and we could not have made him so.
[ Inside the cave, Sypha is still busy. She's digging through Alucard's possessions as if they were her own - she's grown up with communal possessions and nobody has ever stopped her from doing it. ]
The alcohol your mother uses to clean blades for surgery - did you bring any with you?
[It's with dhampir speed that Alucard returns with his new precious cargo, the jar of salt water still in his arms. It isn't a surprise to see Sypha digging through his things - that's Sypha, that's what she does. Besides, now is absolutely not the time to be worrying about whose things are whose.
Alucard sets the water down, crouches beside Sypha.]
Hold on.
[He reaches behind one of the leather bags that hold all kinds of supplies for this particular emergency, and tugs out a clear glass bottle with the label clearly written. He offers it over, tilting his head.]
What do you need it for, and what do you need me to do?
I want to rust the iron. I will make an incision and soak it with salt water. When I move on, you need to agitate the iron with the magnets until all of it is rusted.
[ She wipes the blade of a knife down with the alcohol. Even the cloth she uses glancing against the blade leaves a long cut in it - she's been making sure to sharpen the thing the the point where it's so sharp that the incision, at least, won't cause any pain. the rest, she can do little about. ]
Some of the iron will be pulled out by the magnets. What can't be will be made useless by the rusting. I don't think your mother would care much for the idea of rust in the body, but it's- better, at least.
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[ He does repeat it, mostly because following instructions is the easiest thing to do. Moving is a challenge, anything so delicate as curling his fingers more so, but he tries. Eventually, with only a little guidance from Sypha, he has both arms around Alucard’s waist. For now, this feels safe. The worst of the horror is behind them, and the aftermath of it is yet to come. He buries his face in Alucard’s chest, trapped between him and Sypha. ]
Here. With you both.
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[He kisses the top of Trevor's head, then stays there so that the two of them have Trevor hidden from the world between them. It's hard to manage, squishing them both together to manage it (Trevor's so damn big) but they do it all the same.]
You're going to recover from this. I promise.
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[ It isn’t quite what Alucard meant by recovering, probably. But it’s the definition he’s willing to consider. Just getting the parts of himself that he’s lost back. Everything else- well. Hoping to not be afraid requires a willingness to admit to being afraid in the first place. There’s a long pause. And then, quietly, with an immense amount of effort behind speaking in a more complete sentence. ]
Is he angry, that I fucked up? Will he hurt her?
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[It says too much that Dracula is on the forefront if Trevor's mind after all of this. Alucard hates it.]
Don't give him another thought. We need you to foxus on you.
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Tired.
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[There's a lot to unpack that in all of this, it is Dracula that loomed largest in Trevor's head. Alucard knows he doesn't have the time to do that, and so all he focuses on is murmuring soft things into the top of Trevor's head, waiting for him to fall asleep.
Because once that happens, he and Sypha will have to move, take stock of everything, and figure out what is to be done. Sypha will handle the spell work, Alucard will have to tell Trevor's sisters that their brother is safe but coated in iron and...
...shit, does he even tell Leon?]
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The proper version is mostly complete, but the flawed, dreaming medicine will serve better for them anyway. Keeping him asleep for whatever needs to be done to remove the ink is probably the kindest thing they can do, and Alucard will have to leave at some point. Best for all of them that they give Alucard some control over what happens inside his head right now. ]
Drink. [ She says, and her voice is soft but the command there is clear. Trevor drinks when the bottle is held to his lips. His gaze becomes unfocused, from tiredness rather than from pain, and he falls still aside from the rise and call of his chest and shoulders. ] He'll join you, once he can.
[ She only reacts with anything other than efficiency once Trevor is asleep, her own breath becoming ragged as she grits her teeth and expels the stink of burning, melting metal from the cave with a gust of air that's far more powerful than it needs to be. ]
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He's the one that picks up the horrible lump of iron from the center of the fire pit, and he moves it further back into the cave. There's a horrible chance that they may need to look at some of the non-destroyed spell work on it, otherwise he'd have chucked it away with great speed and enthusiasm into the deepest part of the forest.]
My mother sent these along when I described the writing system, but I don't know if they will truly be helpful.
[They're a set of magnets. Two of them, both terribly strong.]
They may be able to pull all of the iron under his skin into one spot.
[It's going to be a complicated spell to break. A little science could help hack it if they're lucky.]
What do you need me to do?
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[ The certainty in her voice wavers for a moment before she steels herself again, taking the magnets. They're a long way inland, but unless the daylight can stop Alucard then she is the only one here bound by mortal means of travel. ] -I want you here. for as long as you can be.
[ She kneels, pulling aside the furs to expose an arm and choosing the first command to work on carefully. One that isn't too close to a large blood vessel. That she isn't risking too much damage, experimenting with. Once she finds one ('punish the forgemaster') she takes a magnet to it with trembling hands. Sweat beads on Trevor's forehead as she does, as the magnet moves the iron through his flesh. His fists curl in his sleep. It's rare for him to show pain, usually parts of him just die away and he doesn't seem overly concerned about it. The medicine works, at least, and he doesn't wake.
When she's done, the dark purple mark has spread as the iron was dragged about. It looks worse, initially, a horrible dark bruise. But the words are no longer legible. It's just a theory, one she can't test with Trevor asleep and the order apparently being nonsense anyway, but she's become good at finding loopholes in these things. The words aren't there anymore. And so the orders- hopefully, they are no longer binding. ]
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[They have to be cold things for this next chunk of time. All the more reason to indulge now, to kiss Sypha's forehead and murmur softly against that spot that she has this and can do more good than anyone else can for Trevor. It's awful to look at, but it is also true that there is no one better qualified, save for Lisa Tepes. Alucard suspects that that? Isn't going to happen.
Sypha works. Alucard hovers for a few moments to make sure that she has everything under control, and it seems that the magnets will work for now. The magic that is surface level, that can e dealt with. That feels like a victory.
Then he moves to the mouth of the cave. Moves there, then tries to summon any one of Trevor's sisters. Each of their beliefs is repeated in turn, but in his own show of bias, Juliet's is mentioned with slightly more frequency.
For something like this, she seems the best to deal with.]
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The first of Leon's children to be created of something without sharp teeth or claws, with only keen eyes and ears and wits to hunt with, might have felt a little inferior. Formed that belief a little aggressively. As a rabbit, her winter coat is barely visible against the snow until she moves closer, takes a humanoid form, and immediately starts to say something that begins with 'fu-' at the smell of iron.
She catches herself. Proper ladies don't say words that begin with 'fu-'. ]
You found him, then.
[ ...the alternative is that Alucard has summoned her here for some other reason involving burning iron, and he doesn't seem like the random murder type. She likes to think she has a good intuition for avoiding the random murder types. It's why she keeps trying so hard to get out of delivering messages to Dracula. ]
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He was covered in it. Restrained, the stuff was cold forged. I don't know how safe it is for you three to approach the cave at the moment, and we need to ask more of you yet.
[Alucard sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose.]
It took too long to retrieve him. I'm so sorry.
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[ Juliet's demeanor is usually jovial. Not now. She shakes her head. Alucard didn't ask, but- ]
I'll do all I can, but doubt I can be closer than this. I can call our patriarch, if the two of you need help. He is the eldest. Part human. He could be close enough to help.
[ She tugs at one of her ears in thought, weighing options. ]
You do- like him remembering you, yes? Most humans like being remembered, I've found. It's convenient for them.
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[Alucard folds his arms over his chest, trying not to bite at his lip over much.]
Why do you ask about remembering? [Alucard's lips thin.] What did you have in mind?
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[ She's babbling. That's normal, but there's a more manic quality to it now. It's not that she simply likes to fill silence. She's panicked. ]
Normally, if one of us were badly hurt, we would just go through the rebirth instead. You know. With the- stabbing. It's easier than recovering the human way, especially from iron. A lot less painful. But his last rebirth was so recent. He might not pass everything on to himself. So if being remembered is important, I suppose that makes it a bad option.
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Think of it this way: figuring out how to reverse the problems would allow for the information to be applied to much smaller problems too. [Is he applying science to this? Yes.] It's...we can make something good come of it.
[They're wasting time. They're both panicking.]
Meet me at the mouth of the cave, or else as close to the front of it that you can get. Okay?
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[ The unicorn is waiting in the forest somewhere, audible but difficult to see, white against white snow. Juliet doesn't waste any more time, heading to climb onto the creature's back.
True to her word, she is back within the hour. Sypha spends the time finding the worst of the orders - some demand obedience, others calm. Some, like the command to stand, no longer seem to be binding and can be left for last. She doesn't care to leave any of them for last, but some have to come before others. Methodically, she smears the ink over each one. It's a horrible process, leaving Trevor more bruised than not, but it's also one that erases most of the commands themselves and leaves only the damage.
Juliet arrives about where she was before, not entirely sure about getting closer, a large clay pot in her arms. ]
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[It's all the words Alucard has left, in truth, and once Juliet departs, he returns to the mouth of the cave. He yells in, tells Sypha that what she's requested is en route, and that for now, all they can do is wait.
He spends the next hour watching her work, trying to understand what it is that she is doing and how the spell has worked in the first place. The writing, that makes sense, but there must be an underlying base to the spell that makes the writing take effect.
But then he hears the unicorn, and he runs out to meet Juliet.]
True to your word and your sense of timing.
[They're words that drip with gratitude.]
Have you told your sisters that he's back?
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[ Her tone isn't quite as grim as her words. The journey has done her some good, shaken her out of her shock. ]
It would be unnecessary blame, yes? If he needed so much iron to contain our youngest, I think perhaps I would be concerned for him.
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It would be very unnecessary, as he had nothing to do with this. This was all a human's doing, independent of anyone else.
[Which is worse, isn't it?]
That human does this to others like us.
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That is for the best, perhaps. Our queen cannot make war upon humanity. Were it any other manner of creature, she might see fit to use this. To drag your father into it somehow.
[ It's not the best of bright spots, but it's one. She's sticking to it. ]
Shall I wait here for news? Or is there anything else you need?
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[Alucard's not terribly good at controlling his own fury right now. He's only managing because Trevor's recovery is the priority, not his own anger.]
There's nothing else we need yet. I'll try and contact you in a few hours with an update of progress, if that's acceptable?
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[ She bows. ]
I fear any payment I tried to offer you would be seen as suspicious by your father, so I will give only my thanks. Whether the speaker's treatment succeeds or not, even if he must be reborn, this is better. He is free, and we could not have made him so.
[ Inside the cave, Sypha is still busy. She's digging through Alucard's possessions as if they were her own - she's grown up with communal possessions and nobody has ever stopped her from doing it. ]
The alcohol your mother uses to clean blades for surgery - did you bring any with you?
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[It's with dhampir speed that Alucard returns with his new precious cargo, the jar of salt water still in his arms. It isn't a surprise to see Sypha digging through his things - that's Sypha, that's what she does. Besides, now is absolutely not the time to be worrying about whose things are whose.
Alucard sets the water down, crouches beside Sypha.]
Hold on.
[He reaches behind one of the leather bags that hold all kinds of supplies for this particular emergency, and tugs out a clear glass bottle with the label clearly written. He offers it over, tilting his head.]
What do you need it for, and what do you need me to do?
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[ She wipes the blade of a knife down with the alcohol. Even the cloth she uses glancing against the blade leaves a long cut in it - she's been making sure to sharpen the thing the the point where it's so sharp that the incision, at least, won't cause any pain. the rest, she can do little about. ]
Some of the iron will be pulled out by the magnets. What can't be will be made useless by the rusting. I don't think your mother would care much for the idea of rust in the body, but it's- better, at least.
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