![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Thursday 9:30 PM
Truthfully... Dhaos had anticipated that something like this would occur eventually, and yet it seemed that his familiarity with time flow itself was something that did not change his perception all that much. Truly, it was such an odd thing, because now it seemed as if they had more time on their hands, but to him, it didn't make a difference. Even if it simply appeared as to himself that even a simple walk through the halls was extraordinarily long in of itself. Yet, in his head, he counted, 1, 2, 3, and so on whenever he was alone.
It was simple math to keep track of time. He needed to make sure he knew how long all in all he was forced to stay here.
His mind also went over carefully the events of the passing days. The faces, and the few that had made quite an impression on him. Normally, he couldn't care for a single human in this location, and he wouldn't have. However, Dhaos found himself going over the words in his head concerning the woman's words back in that chapel. He found himself anxious, wondering if what happened back there was even real at times, or perhaps the more paranoid side of him always entertained thoughts of her not meaning a thing.
The blond halted in front of the door and this time made sure his feet were resting upon the ground underneath, instead of the habitual hovering. This door did not belong to his own, but hers, and sure the human could just as well not reside within it, but all the same, he does not know if something would happen if he did not take this moment now. It wasn't as if it mattered if the worst occurred to him in the end, as he knew even he was not truly invincible. Especially now that he thought about it, considering where he was left off right before he was whisked away here.
But... perhaps it would be nice to entertain the thought of speaking with someone who appeared to care, at least once in private. Gently, Dhaos knocked upon the door, finding it silly that it seemed to take him so long to decide, or perhaps that was the perception manipulation doing its trick.
It was simple math to keep track of time. He needed to make sure he knew how long all in all he was forced to stay here.
His mind also went over carefully the events of the passing days. The faces, and the few that had made quite an impression on him. Normally, he couldn't care for a single human in this location, and he wouldn't have. However, Dhaos found himself going over the words in his head concerning the woman's words back in that chapel. He found himself anxious, wondering if what happened back there was even real at times, or perhaps the more paranoid side of him always entertained thoughts of her not meaning a thing.
The blond halted in front of the door and this time made sure his feet were resting upon the ground underneath, instead of the habitual hovering. This door did not belong to his own, but hers, and sure the human could just as well not reside within it, but all the same, he does not know if something would happen if he did not take this moment now. It wasn't as if it mattered if the worst occurred to him in the end, as he knew even he was not truly invincible. Especially now that he thought about it, considering where he was left off right before he was whisked away here.
But... perhaps it would be nice to entertain the thought of speaking with someone who appeared to care, at least once in private. Gently, Dhaos knocked upon the door, finding it silly that it seemed to take him so long to decide, or perhaps that was the perception manipulation doing its trick.
no subject
Having the sensation of time stretched and elongated like this--it's wearing. The week has felt unbearably long, and truly, she's never done well without work. She's used to her devotion to her emperor, to putting all of her time and effort into that, but she's stuck here, with a handful of strangers, and she has to... wait.
She tries to remain as serene as she can. She talks to people. She breathes. She eats. She carries on.
But it's definitely driving her to distraction, and when there's a knock at her door, she welcomes any promise of distraction from that.
"Please, come in," her voice is quiet, but audible. "The door is open."
no subject
There were those who would use a split second moment to their advantage, or so he presumed.
Carefully, he closed the door behind himself, before shifting far to the side, just in case someone did get the funny idea to rush in and try to strike. Or perhaps he was just too paranoid.
"...Good evening, Selena. I apologize for my sudden, late, visit. However, I suppose I wished to least have a quiet conversation, considering our circumstances, seeing as how anything could occur. As well as..."
He paused, a little awkwardly (because his people skills are still rusty), before continuing, "...figuring it might do well to see how one is holding up now that some days have passed."
no subject
"Good evening." The response comes easily enough; she's relieved to have a distraction here and now, though... when he brings it up himself, she can only laugh a little ruefully.
"Ah... yes." A shake of her head, and she runs her fingers through her hair vaguely. "I suppose it is...strange. I have never experienced anything quite like this, but short of standing in front of those clocks and staring at them, the best I can do is attempt to not be driven to distraction."
She sighs, but only shortly. "And yourself? How are you holding up?"
no subject
Finally, however, at the question, he replied, "As for myself... I am not too sure, if I am being honest. This is reminding myself of a situation I once experienced that was not ideal. The only reason this is even moreso bearable than that is simply due to the fact that there is much more space to wander around."
The humorless laugh Dhaos expects himself to make does not come this turn. "Surely... could you imagine if this was occurring in much more confined quarters?"
no subject
But then she focuses on his words, and they're admittedly grim ones. A closer space....
Gently, she says, "It may yet be the same outcome, if we do not do what we can to prevent it."
This might be enough to drive the weak to murder, which means that they have to do what they can to stop it from happening. Protecting the weak, and... talking to people. So this, Selena thinks, is a good start. "... You once experienced a situation like this?" Did she hear that right...?
no subject
At her next words after that, he could only nod his head in agreement."...I should hope we can."
However, at the question, his eyebrows furrowed, and hesitated. He did manage to reply, "As in being kidnapped by still-unknowns, nay. However, in reference to being forced in one enclosed space, essentially powerless in being able to escape, yes. It was much smaller. A day felt like a year, and weeks so on and so forth. The time that passed until I had successfully managed to escape, was twelve years.
Like our situation now, a spell was used, undoubtedly to keep us here, and is still being utilized."
no subject
So after a moment's hesitation, she frowns a little, and asks gently, "Why... were you in such a situation? You do not need to answer, naturally, if you do not wish to, but..."
... But it hurts her heart a little to imagine someone in a situation like that, especially someone that she has grown to like, like Dhaos.
no subject
The woman is not from his world, and yet she would not think to surely use information about himself against him. Truly, he's been hardly very forthcoming, as it was simply in his nature, but in her case, he decides he could stand to say. Perhaps, because, he remembered one like Selena who had once asked for the truth, however circumstances did not allow for him to say. "Humans took advantage of my weakness when I escaped the conclusion of battle against a different set of them. Thereupon them anticipating my arrival after that fight, they sealed myself within there..."
He sighs, as he feels a headache coming on, and moving a hand to rub at his temples. "I never intended to come into conflict with them in the first place. However, I was forced to, in order to try to save my people from my world. Surely, you must understand, having been a General, and loyal to your people."
no subject
But listening to him explains a lot. It tells her why he was so wary of humans, and of his designation in that pamphlet. It explains why he was so concerned about what she would think of him, now that she knew he was a "demon king". It... explains a lot.
But she doesn't understand how a demon king can be so softly spoken, or can go check on her in times like this. She doesn't understand how something like this could have happened, and while she's aware he could be skewing things towards himself in bias, she doesn't think he really has reason to.
And so, quietly, she nods. She does understand. "I have taken on battles less noble than I would have liked, in the name of my people and my emperor."
She's done what she has to do to protect them, and she always will.
"... I am sorry." She can't think of what else to say, honestly; words feel like they're escaping her even now, in the face of something that horrible. "For what you have endured, and for what you have suffered through."
no subject
He just moves to sit down, hoping that she would not mind if he did for at least a little--there was a chair in the room after all. He closes his eyes and releases a breath, perhaps this time a little compared to relief. "It is so strange to hear such a thing for the first time. However, I appreciate it and you need not apologize. It is just enough that you understand and are willing to listen.
You have always been well to me, which I know now is simply due to how courteous you are, but it still does bear mentioning. And, in a situation like this, it does make facing everything... easier.
Those words you had said back there, when we were in the chapel especially. That is why if you ever need someone to listen on your account, I can do the same."
Or assist like he had said he would when the woman made that proclamation. He was hoping that at least some good would come of this, somehow, but maybe it was just a desperate one instead of the realistic thoughts he held concerning this whole contrived setup.
no subject
But this... she smiles faintly at that, and shakes her head simply.
"Then I thank you in return. I do not have any grand, glorious stories to tell--I am simply a general who is loyal to her emperor. He is a kind man--perhaps it is to him that you can thank my courtesy." Naturally, she has a habit of giving whatever praise she can to her emperor; even if Vigarde had changed recently, he had still always been so kind and giving, especially for a leader of so many people.
"But truly--thank you. If we are able to prevent even one senseless death...then our time here will not have been wasted. That is what I believe."
no subject
In his head, he's realized, however, that he is losing count of how long he is spending with her. Dhaos did wish for himself to spend more time here with her, but he figured that he couldn't stay for too long, or perhaps he was worried of doing so. He began to rise to his feet. "I can only hope, and then after that... I suppose it will be a matter of will or whatever our kidnappers wish to possibly use against us to try to make it occur. With that said, however..."
His words were more or less ended on note, as he seemed to stumble a bit as his vision nearly blacked out, and he reached out to grip the top of the chair hard enough that it cracked just a tad. Miraculously it worked, although he was aware an infrequent problem had followed him here. "... I-I am just a tad bit tired, and I believe I need to rest sooner than I thought. I shall at the least bid you goodnight."
no subject
If he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to talk about it; she can understand that much. Nonetheless--
"Please, take care of your health. In a place such as this... it is all we have."
And it would sadden her quite a lot if something were to happen to him. That's the last thing she wants, really.
no subject
He wishes that he could at least pass her a smile to reassure her, but he feels that would be not true to himself, so he does not. Then, he makes his leave finally, although taking his time, just in case, and it seems that way as well due to the affliction in place. But, at the very least he manages, and somehow despite even that last moment, he finds that in his attempt to make sure Selena was faring alright, perhaps on a mental level it has eased himself as well.