Songs of My People (Part II) [Sivan]

[Rivin]

12th Searing, 123

The Lysanrin lad had been unsure how to bring up to his elven friend that he wished to sell his services to his Magus (in the form of a contracted Scrivened onto his body, no less) in exchange for the man's assistance and also the Rune of Traversion. In the end, he had decided to bring it up in a roundabout way. It was not how he normally did things but he kept going in circles on where to start, either with asking Sivan's assistance with discovering the original language of his people, or with the contract. Since the wish to learn the language was where he had started and what had led him to make the bargain he had, it seemed best, in the end, to begin there. But he was a bit muddled about the whole thing and unsure how any of it would come out.

It still took him some time to build up the courage and the conviction to do so for he was not sure how his only friend would react to the, perhaps foolish, deal he had not only accepted but himself suggested. Aurin Kavafis had not taken his request as though it were an unusual thing, and Rivin had read many books that impressed upon him the idea that making such compacts was normal. None of those books had been histories, or if they had been they were not considered accurate to life, which worried him a little, but not enough to dissuade him once he had settled upon the notion. So it was that he waited, perched in the corner of the room where three of the ceiling beams met, hands running along the end of his tail in a show of nerves he hadn't been able to yet work out of himself when he was wearing his own face.

When the elf arrived he shifted enough to make his presence known before speaking, as surprising people he wanted to be in a pleasant mood was not conducive. Once he had been spotted, he greeted,

"Good evening, my friend. I hope that your day of working was productive and without stress."

Once said he slid easily down the wall to land, cat-like and silent, on the balls of his feet. The elf's presence was genuinely comforting and appreciated and his body language said as much, orienting him towards Sivan as he moved about the room.

"I was hoping that we might have a conversation. Of a more serious nature. You should not be worried, all is well with me, with us, I believe." The last was almost a question, left open in case Sivan needed to contradict him, but when no dispute was offered he continued.

"I have need of your help. I know that I have often needed your help and first I wanted to show appreciation for what you have done for me. I thank you."

Saying thus he bowed in the oddly formal Zaichaeri style and held it for a long moment before standing again and dropping the formality. Stepping closer, within normal conversational distance he continued,

"If ever you should need anything from me, know that I will not hesitate to give aid." No caveat was placed on the promise for Rivin felt none. He would comfortably take life or give of his body for the one who had succored him when he'd been at his lowest and many times since.

"What I wished to speak to you about is a bargain I have made with my mentor, Aurin Kavafis, who you know." How well the elf knew the human Rivin was unsure but suspected considering they often spent time in the same bed, Torin Kilvin's bed, if not often at the same time.

"I have offered him my service as an employee and perhaps apprentice?" Aurin would be teaching him to use his new rune, as well as continuing to tutor him in the ways of spy craft and information gathering, but whether that made Rivin the Magus' Apprentice, he was not sure. "In exchange for his giving me the Rune of Traversion and teaching me its uses. I said that I would commit my service to him in Scrivening. There is no one I trust more than you, and you know this magic well, Scrivening, not Traversion."

He clarified without pausing,

"I would like to hire you to help with the language of the contract, and then to write it upon me."

Here, at last, he paused to gauge what reaction these revelations might be garnering.

[Sivan]

Little occurred in his tower or his garden that he didn't know, even when he was not himself present. When he knew one of his friends was present, he pulled back a bit of himself so he wouldn't automatically semble too deeply into their thoughts and feelings without permission, and Rivin of all his friends knew best how to banish curious spirits from his presence if he didn't want them there. As such, he was not surprised by Rivin's words or appearance, though he hadn't looked into the shadows to prove that he was there. He just smiled in Rivin's direction and the Lysanrin came out of his own volition.

"'Twas, thanks." One word came out in Rivach, accompanied by the gesture that made it authentic. He had been peppering their conversations with words here and there since he knew there was some Dratori in his friend and that he was keen to learn the presumed dead language of his Lysanrin heritage. Sivan paused at the request, but smiled and nodded—acquiescence and the assurance that all was well. He took up a seat at the table and set the box he carried down in front of him. There was a bit of work to do and it would keep his hands busy, as well as his eyes, which sometimes allowed conversations to go more smoothly.

At the bow, he murmured, "You are welcome."

His eyes lingered upon Rivin for a moment, and then he began to carefully file between the teeth of a delicate gear. Despite his eyes tending toward his work, it was clear he was listening attentively. He nodded at appropriate times and seemed to be absorbing all that was said to him. When Rivin finished, he thought on it for a few moments, then set the file aside to rub the fine clockwork with cloth to clear away any minute scrapings.

"As you wish," he said with a more serious smile. "Most scrivened contracts require Mesmer as well, but those merely enforce the contracts with mind control. I can think of several ways to give him some power to enforce it until you have completed your term of service."

Perhaps Rivin had expected more resistance, but while Sivan was wary of Aurin, he knew that the clever man took care of his people. If Rivin was going to be one of his people, then he would be safer than he was before. And it made sense to come to Sivan, a mage he trusted, who was a past master at working out covenants with spirits when mistakes could be catastrophic. The elf just wanted to know exactly what was desired in terms of, well, terms and mechanism of action.

[Rivin]

The Lysanrin followed the elf to sit down at the little multi-use table that they ate at as often as not. Blue eyes flicked down to watch clever fingers remove a project of work from its box and begin to work on it. Most things were of interest to Rivin, partly due to his limited experience and partly due to the fact that so many things had the potential to make him want to try them. Artificing was like biology for artificial beings, though, as they were run by aether and biological beings were also the line between what was artificial and what was not blurred the longer one thought about it.

That working with his hands helped Sivan to listen was something Rivin had intuited early on and appreciated for, while he did not have the same trait, it was often easier for him to speak when he was not being watched.

The suggestion that the contract would need an enforcement mechanism had no occurred to him and the fact that it had occurred to Sivan was as much of a surprise. Of course, in learning the craft one must learn the common uses, which would account for it. Aurin needed no enforcement ability outside of what he could do himself, but Rivin was suddenly very interested to know what sorts of things Sivan had in mind. Too interested, he could immediately tell, to make good choices, but this was Sivan and the elf was unlikely to suggest anything that would harm him.

"Please," He gestured in Rivach requesting that his friend expand upon the idea, "what are the mechanisms you thought of? I did not think of any, as I desire the contract and intend to see it fulfilled."

It made sense that many would try to get out of agreements they had made, even magically created ones as soon as he thought about it.

"Your ideas are valuable to me."

Rivin couldn't help leaning close across the surface between them, because of his interest in the subject and his interest in the elf. For reasons he did not have concentration left to unpack he found himself wishing they were down in his basement level so he might rest his head on Sivan's shoulder, or his lap, as they sometimes did while they spoke.

[Sivan]

Between his familiarity with the Lysanrin and his instinctive use of his Semblance to understand what people meant when using languages other than his mother- and father-tongues. Rivin was probably used to Sivan intuiting quite a bit, or perhaps he just thought the elf wise beyond his years. Sometimes, he just read an open mind without realizing that he was doing it.

Sivan set the delicate gear back into the box and shut it. There would be time for that later. For now, he wanted to be below, wanted Rivin's head on his shoulder; perhaps a soak would ease his nerves and allow him to share his hopes and fears with regard to this scrivened bond.

"Come," he said, standing with the inherent grace of his kind. His hand was extended, though he wouldn't force physical contact on his friend. He would, however, lead him down below the root cellar and all, and into the cavern where the hot springs steamed, the air full of mineral scents, mushrooms, and the night-blooming plants he was growing down there.

The elf stripped down as if it were the most natural of things and, to his mind, it was. Soon enough he was submerged up to his chin in the hot spring. Whenever and wherever Rivin settled, Sivan began to continue his thoughts.

"Well, the grand contracts are scrived with mesmeric power so the signatories would be compelled to keep to the contract. Barring that... mechanisms could be scrived that would give him certain powers over you until you completed your side of the bargain. The easiest would be through the Traversion he gives you, I think. It is a resonance that will exist between you that can be formed into a bond. Perhaps giving him the ability to travel to you no matter how you tried to run or hide. Or pull you back to him. Although... I suppose we could tie the mechanism of action into your Summoning rune. Hmm..."

He considered that, wondering if he could use it to bind Rivin's demonic aidolon as well, or at least learn enough from the process to eventually alter Rivin's contract for him.

[Rivin]

When Sivan rose and offered him his hand the Lysanrin took it without questioning. A part of him would always do well in terms of obedience before knowing what was expected of him even if another part hated that it was so. Obedience to even implied leadership had been ingrained in him so immediately and so constantly from the moment of his birth that fighting against it, while it could feel euphoric, took a lot of energy. When no one was trying to exert control over him he sometimes fell into bouts of high level anxiety that he had eventually realized were caused by not knowing what he was expected to be doing. Without a 'ceiling' of someone else's expectation it could feel like he was falling up with no way to stop himself. When this happened he often went to Aurin now and asked for a job. The human was intuitive enough (or perhaps he used his magic to read Rivin's mind) to realize when requests for work were simply an interest and when they were a more desperate need.

Though Sivan was not in charge of Rivin in any professional sense, he seemed to understand when his housemate wanted him to take the lead, and even when said housemate decidedly did not want him to do so. Knowing that he was likely difficult, or would have been to someone not as well attuned to him as his only friend, made him all the more grateful that he had someone who could adjust to his mercurial and sometimes violently changing moods.

Following without feeling the need to ask questions, content to be led, ended up with them in the (currently) lowest of the underground levels of the house. The earth scents and steamed air were comforting. Though they were not the same as the places he had spent his youngest years they had a similar feel to them and that meant they were nice without being repressive.

Sivan shedding his clothing was of interest, but not any specific kind. The elf's body was very well made and Rivin could appreciate that as a biologist as well as on a biological level without losing either one to the pull of the other. He let his friend finish undressing before doing so himself. It felt like a polite turn about, as he had watched the entire process and thought Sivan should be allowed the same in return if he wanted it.

When they both moved into the hot water, a relief after the unending cold of the world outside, Rivin wanted to fulfill his earlier impulse to touch but wanted to be able to see and listen fully to their current conversation more. This led to him settling sort of at an angle from the elf so he could easily observe his face but also reach out and pull one of his feet onto his lap. Aurin had arranged for someone to begin teaching his protege the basics of massage and Sivan had said that if Rivin wanted to practice the various things he was learning, he was allowed to do so with him.

Clever hands began to search pale flesh for knots or tension while his mind remained wholly on his contract. The possibilities were intriguing, both on the level of logic and function, and on another level that Rivin didn't like but also liked very much. Aurin being able to come to him wherever he was certainly had merit, though, with his understanding of the pendant he had been giving to communicate, the magus could find him as it was. If the magical device was taken from him, it would still be useful, but the idea of Aurin being able to compel him to come to him at any time...

Rivin shouldn't like the idea, should hate it, as it was, in a way, another version of slavery. But he did not. Why it stirred and stimulated parts of him that felt good he did not know and very badly wanted to, but he had no idea who he might be able to ask. Sivan might know, with his Semblance, might see parts of the Lysanrin's brain lighting up, whether he knew what it meant or not. Trying to keep away from all the interested reactions and remain in his logic he said,

"Both of those could be useful, the Traversion associations. Summoning, I do not see how this could be useful? Could Aurin Kavafis Summon through me, if we included it?"

[Sivan]

Sometimes Sivan felt as though Rivin was another familiar, not quite so soulbound as Exael, but often present just at the periphery of his senses, quietly helpful, even obdient when Sivan had no great desire to command. He could read the man as though he were some wild spirit; he looked like an infernal spirit; in some ways, he was gentle as a celestial spirit. Well, Exael could be gentle when he wanted to be. The spirit of Wisdom had learned more about Compassion from Sivan in their time bonded, but the forced empathy between them might have helped with that.

Though he now saw his friend as a sexual creature and felt his admiration and affection shift into more priapric feelings when the time was right, it was more of an aesthetic view he took of him as he disrobed. A part of his mind was drawing schematics for an automaton whose structure would mirror his skeletal arrangement, its clockwork and pneumatic system arranged after the pattern of his muscular attachments. There was something graceful about him, even when he was awkward.

Siv's smile was welcoming, but his mouth opened into an O when sure fingers began to knead the sole of his foot in the hot water. He muttered an appreciative curse in Mythrasi, and then slung his arms along the edge of the spring so he could sag down like a ragdoll. He would just have to try to keep his mind sharp and quick.

"I think... almost anything is possible with the correct arrangement of sigils... Some challenges are just complicated to answer. Finding the... elegant solution... is the trick..." Golden hair tumbled into his eyes as he let his head loll forward, stretching his neck as the heat began to relax his muscles. When his head rolled back up to support itself, he tried to blow the hair out of his eyes, but it had gotten wet and some of it remained slicked to his chin. He chuckled at his own expense.

"You could give him access to your Rune, yes," he affirmed slowly. "We could set it up such that he could compell you as you might compell a spirit. On some level... all compacts rely upon the agency of all parties, but... as you well know... there are ways to subvert that... Mists, is he training you to work at the Jade Crane?"

[Rivin]

The Lysanrin listened attentively, letting his hands gain strength and dexterity without needing much assistance from his mind. He continued thus until the explanation was broken by a question,

"Yes," The answer was excited and sounded of pride as well, "I am taking instructions from the masseuses at the Jade Crane."

He paused, digging into a particular spot of tension with his hands as he considered that he hadn't actually answered the question as it had been asked,

"I am not intending to work there, but the Magus says that it is the sort of skill that will be useful in my work for him."

In pretending to be a courtesan, and in giving pleasure, as well, it had been explained to him, to aid in remaining flexible and agile as he aged. Aurin did not seem to mind allowing him to practice whenever they both had the time but Rivin had realized quickly that while he was agile he did not have the sort of strength in his hands that was required so wanted to work them out as often as possible. Reaching out with one wet hand he pushed the curl of blond hair, darkened by being damp, out of Sivan's face and tucked it behind his ear.

"I can show you what else I am learning there later, if it would be enjoyable to you."

His tail might have been twitching in anticipation but as it was underwater, it was hard to tell.

"I do not know how to aid you in coming up with the elegant solution, but I do trust you with it. To bind me in this way." It was a lot for Rivin, who panicked at the idea of being physically bound or trapped. He had decided to be entirely open in his relationship with the elf. If he was betrayed he would have to deal with the consequences as they happened and learn from the experience to pick his friends better. He didn't believe he would need to, because Sivan was a very good friend, but he kept the idea there, so he wouldn't be too shocked to react should he need to.

"How long, do you think, will it take to work out this contract? I know you have other work that requires your time."

Clever hands began working their way up the well-muscled calf now.

[Sivan]

"Yes," he said in a shaky exhalation. Sivan would enjoy experiencing what else Rivin was learning at the bathhouse. He could certainly see how being able to put someone into a state of deep relaxation would help him tease information out of them. If he truly mastered those skills, the elf would be putty in his clever hands.

Knowing that Rivin needed and wanted the practice assuaged his guilt at just accepting pleasure, but he tried not to lose track of the thread of the scrivening conversation.

"Well, what would you like the contract to entail? You could more easily just shake hands or sign a paper contract if you trust each other, so I need to know the intent of this enchantment. It sounds more as though you want some form of magical bond, and I can do that. I can make consequences for acting in bad faith, or... Well, and I can tool in the expectations that need to be met. And the requirements for a dissolution of the contract. I suppose the best we can do today is discuss ideas, answer your questions... Then you can speak to Aurin and come back to me with, I suppose, a written document that I can translate into magic. If both your intentions are clear, your rules and consequences, the necessary functions... That will make it easier to craft in some ways. I can give you a better estimate when I have that. Does that make...?"

His words faltered as Rivin's hands moved up his leg. A little moan and he sank deeper into the hot spring.

"Does that make sense?"

[Rivin]

Rivin blinked and, for a moment, paused in his movements that were now just below Sivan's knee. The idea that one could just write a normal contract with a Magus, like one might purchase a property or a sausage roll had not only never occurred to him, it immediately offended his sense of reality as a whole.

Of course, Aurin Kavafis was a person, and they both lived in reality, but...

Rivin struggled and this was perhaps obvious on his face. He struggled with the breaking of a great number of concepts that had been a part of his world view ever since he'd learned how to read and which had lived along side the harsher concepts that he knew reality to be quite harmoniously right up until that very moment. His eyes, wide and darkening slowly like a storm was rolling in behind them turned on Sivan as though the elf were either responsible for ruining something beautiful, or might be the one to save him from the same, or both.

In that moment the part of him that had escaped from a life of abject slavery decided that the world would be what he wanted it to be now, that it wasn't perfect or even good but that some things that he wanted to be would be that way and there was nothing that anyone else could do about it. Aurin hadn't been confused by Rivin's offer, it had seemed perfectly natural for him to accept it, so, it must at least be not uncommon.

The color in his eyes cleared back to a the pale, silvery gray that was most common when he was learning of considering something and his hands began to move again. They were deft around the joint, careful to relax without harming any of the intricate connections. After a moment of silence that was not uncomfortable he answered,

"I want for him to know that I can be trusted. If I want things from him in the future perhaps that trust will be enough, but I want to...hm, to prove myself? Yes."

A sly little smile parted his lips when Sivan, still so exact and helpful in his explanations faltered because of Rivin's ministrations. Leaning forward so he could continue upwards, looking perhaps a little wicked though it was not his intention he answered,

"That does make sense, perfectly. I thank you for your assistance, Sivan Sunrunner. I will go to the Magus and we will work out the details and I will bring them back to you."

[Sivan]

Relaxed as he was, Sivan still couldn't avoid noticing the sudden shift in Rivin's aura. He calmed, and all seemed well. Blue eyes watched him carefully all the same. It was the heat of the spring and not embarrassment that colored his cheeks at Rivin's tiny smile, but he swallowed and answered.

"Aye, it would behoove you two to provide me with your intentions, conditions, consequences and the like. For example, ahem... With trust. I know he can semble you and you don't really have any defense against that except, well, extreme self-control with your thoughts, and even then... Hm. But I could work in, for example, something that senses truth and will make some tangible sign if you lie to him, embarrassing you. If you want him to be able to compel you... well, Torin has a Mesmer he uses for such things now that his minstrel friend has left Kalzasi for good."

What he was thinking but not saying, however, was that he was going to figure out a way to use this binding to bind Rivin's demon. Nothing untoward had happened, but he knew such infernal creatures were past masters at playing the long-game. Right when Rivin least suspected it, there would be repercussions.

Sivan bit his lower lip, but as Rivin worked his way up past his knee, he used his foot as a hook and tugged his friend a bit closer. He wanted what was happening and not necessarily more, but as he had explored physical affection with friends - and he hadn't really had friends before settling in Kalzasi - he had realized that it was, in fact, a primal need. His Rune of Animus and the subsequent bonding with Wolf and Bear had broadened and deepened his awareness of his more animal urges.

He just wanted Rivin close while Rivin worked the tension out of his muscles and they discussed the future with regard to this theoretical enchantment.