Stitches sits down at the table in The Prancing Pony. Up until this very moment, it was empty entirely, save the seat across from him. That seat was, and remains, filled with a dark figure, whose brow has creased, and whose bent and thrice broken nose swells to fill in his face. Black robes and an even darker cloak cling to the skeletal form of the man, who leans over the table, both hands clasped firmly around a full stein that has long since lost its foam and life. As Stitches arrives and intends to start the conversation, Selvius looks up at him with dead, hollow, beady eyes. The men share a locking of their eyes. Selvius’ jaw hangs open, and Stitches swallows, looking more like a real person, his beard trimmed and clean. The man across from him finally speaks up, “It’s over…”
Stitches nods slowly as he is addressed, and when he opens his mouth to speak about it, he is met with mournful words, “Then I am alone…all of my friends are truly…dead.”
Stitches shakes his head and cants his head, his brow slanting in a nearly angry confusion, “They were…cruel. They were unkind and horrible people.”
Selvius is silent for a moment before looking at Stitches, his beady black eyes gleaming as they begin to foster newly formed tears. He scoffs and pushes the empty vessel for his drink away from himself, “They were still my friends. Besides, they said the same of you once, Kakeraen. Did…did they tell you before the end?”
Stitches bites his lower lip and his face constricts, holding confusion and pain. He looks down as he tries to place himself in Selvius’ shoes, knowing how it felt all those years ago to truly find himself alone and in search of something he was uncertain he would ever find. Something he never did. He looks up and shakes his head, “No…Jaec refused to tell me.”
Selvius is still and quiet for a long time, before very suddenly he brings his frail hands down to slam the table in mournful indignation. He bangs the bottom of his hands a few more times and clenches his teeth as if trying not to scream. As his fit calms his eyes shoot open and stare wildly at Stitches, someone he once knew as a child, “Why Vee!? I knew Jaec had to die, Kakeraen, he was lost. Why did Vee have to die?”
Instinctively Stitches leans back and reaches for the dagger in his cloak. Once he remembers the company he is keeping he lets this go. The tension of the moment causes him to freeze, and that silence and stillness grows further as he tries to find a reason. Some cause…some justification for why a woman so obsessed with him had to pass. It wasn’t him who ended her life, but it was his idea to instigate what happened out there, and somewhere he knew it wasn’t going to end until she did. Veethoria was a woman who would stop at nothing to destroy his happiness. Even at this moment, that reason doesn’t seem like it will solve anything. It doesn’t seem like it will help. Stitches bites his lips again and shakes his head, “It’s done, Selvius…it’s over.”
Selvius calms a little, panting and looking around frantically, as if in some frenzied and nonsensical uncertainty. Selvius lays out the story in between deep breaths when he has had a moment to properly compose himself, “When we were young…you and Iyala were…” He pauses as if the words are hard for him to let escape him, “In love…madly I might add. She was obsessed with you.” He states, sadly as if disappointed, jealous, or both.
Selvius continues gravely, “Vee adored you too. She was often angry with Iyala for this. Still…their parents did not care for Iyala’s wishes, and from time to time would clearly favor veethoria’s wishes as the eldest child. They wanted Iyala to be wed to someone…more substantial and less…” He pauses and motions to Stitches, “You….”
Stitches watches with a disheartened stare, his fingers curling instinctually around the mug that had been pushed away from Selvius, as though it would provide him comfort. Selvius continues, “So they arranged a marriage between you and Veethoria. Then they arranged another marriage, between Iyala and Jaec, the opposite of what most parties wanted. Iyala ran off into the night, destroyed. Veethoria went after her, followed by Jaec. Then you came after them…Veethoria and Iyala spoke briefly…and even though Veethoria tried to convince her it was alright, her words backfired…Iyala only wanted you more but…”
Selvius stares off distantly, his eyes overflowing with tears as he explains further, “Veethoria wrote of this in her diary…she wrote of your…your anger through our childhood. How everyone would think it reasonable that it was you, and even though she didn’t mean to…”
As Selvius’ words stop for a period of time, Stitches watches him intently. As nothing happens, he gently encourages his acquaintance, “Didn’t mean to? Selvius what happened?”
Selvius looks up from his aloof gaze, his eyes meeting the pale green orbs of his childhood friend. With much difficulty, as though the reality still hasn’t set in, Selvius quietly says, “She died. Iyala died. Veethoria pushed her and she tumbled down a hill…the trauma to her head caused a slow…passing.”
Stitches leans back and looks down, trying to think about what Selvius is recalling,as though it will help him remember. He shakes his head, “Selvius…”
Selvius sniffles and wipes his eyes with a kerchief produced from his pouch, “You found her first…your arms cradled her only briefly before Jaec took you away. Then I came to her…as she passed in my embrace she spoke my name fleetingly. She didn’t blame you…it wasn’t you.” He pauses and looks around frantically as if avoiding contact with the world only briefly before speaking through clenched teeth to Stitches, “But this! Jaec and Vee. Nauravera, Sykes, all of them. That’s on you, Stitches. Right as it was, you remain fixed because you broke someone else.”
Stitches recoils, stunned and uncertain what to say. For many long moments they remain soundless and wordless. Finally after they seem to stop staring at one another, the tension of tragedy only temporarily leaving the table, Stitches places his palms on the wooden top of the table and closes his eyes, “I’m so sorry…that you’re alone, Selvius. No one knows that feeling better than I, but it’s done now.”
Selvius stands up and looks down at Stitches, “Done? This isn’t done, Kakeraen. You’re not done. Everything I have is gone or dead because of you or who you used to be. You owe me. Expect that.” He says abruptly before leaving just as suddenly, excusing himself from the conversation and the pub. This leaves Stitches twice as confused, but also saddened and wracked with guilt as he seems to have pushed the very pain that tore him apart upon another.
