#and it’s not even that hard because Eowyn never really suffers for the choices she made in the sense that: Edoras is fine

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Authors making literary choices about their characters that add an edge that could be hard for the audience to sit with is, in fact, a good thing

[ashnadir]

fanesavin:

“It’s the long and the short of it,” he assured despite Iann’s insistence, the truth was there was more to it; truth that Fane hadn’t admitted out loud to anyone bar the pages in some of his journals. “Even smart cookies as you put it are susceptible and prone to nativity at some points in their lives” it was all his had to say and he hoped Iann could judge from the look on his features that on this occasion Fane wasn’t willing to delve into his reasons why he stuck around with Grace. 

Fane didn’t blame hunters per say, knew very well himself the wide-ranging reasons many of them held to hate supernaturals and in turn want to hunt them down and eradicate them. As he’d heard Grace say many a time during her plentiful rants about how loathsome and parasitic vampires in particular were. He could see her point, considering their job at the time trying to hunt down Jack but sometimes it was hard to stomach regardless of how he felt about her. “I’ve had to think about it considering I need to be assured of contingencies to keep those I care about safe should her or anyone else come looking to hurt the people I care about– you don’t live for as long as I have without treading on some toes” Fane pointed out figuring Iann had some idea of that with his experiences alongside Tuah. Though the pointed look turned into one of mild disgust at the thought of still having feelings for Grace, “no, maybe once I did but I came to accept what it was and moved on from that chapter of my life.” And in his mind it was, he’d seen Grace the other day but there was no spark that existed there anymore. Just… emptiness.

"Your guess is as good as mine, I honestly don’t know.” The topic had been something he’d dwelt on plenty recently. “I just find that when I’m with her i don’t feel like there are any pretences I need to keep up, I never have” he made a face at his paper unsure how to put into words how he felt. “I can’t really put it into words, it probably sounds ridiculous but she understands me better in a year than anyone seems to have been able to in the last century.” Faye humoured his ridiculous sense of humour, encouraged his childish antics and listened when the burdens he took on grew to be too much. She just put him at ease. “Maybe it’s the fact we’re both parents?” whether he was talking to himself or Iann was debatable “I guess we understand the lengths the other will go to in order to protect their child– Faye for Eowyn and me for Dani. My kind don’t tend to look on my behaviour in adopting a child as the norm, not even here, for which Dani suffered growing up which is why she was home-schooled in the first place– I don’t know if you already knew that or not.” Fane admitted looking back over at Iann. After the events between Faye and Ephram as well, Fane figured that in a way they were both outside their own typical circles, ostracised for their choices.

The silence during they both worked on their respective projects settled, the occasional turning of pages or scratch of a pen nib over paper over the crackle of the fire which kept the large room warm. “This? Ah well, Dani and discovered the tomb of Nefertiti back in January and I’ve been studying some of the items we recovered from the site. Plenty of artefacts belonging to disciples of Heka– those being the Egyptian equivalent to our witches.”

"Sure, sure sure, I won't harangue you any more,"  Iann said, because he could tell that the vampire was pulling up his drawbridge on this topic.  Which was fine; Iann had enough understanding of social cues to see it might be getting personal, but not enough to refrain from pointing it out.  He pistolled his finger at Fane, squinting through an imaginary sight.  "Guess it's all in the past anyway."

He tapped his finger on his lips then.  "Why wait? Considering it sounds like you have...far more to lose in this situation than this Hunter does,"  What with Savin surrounding himself with what could ostensibly considered 'family' and all,  "Did you consider finding her first before she finds you?"  The idea of a Hunter-turned-vampire just...fascinated Iann to no end.  He thought about a witch he'd recently been embroiled in with Freddie Watts, that she had been forcibly changed from witch to vampire.  Both Iann and Freddie were convinced it turned her insane.  While the effect might not be as evident for a human, an Hunter would've...well either killed themselves of reconciled.  Clearly, this Hunter-vampire chose to reconcile.  Interesting.  He grinned at Fane. 

 "Okay okay, I believe you.  Chapter is closed for good."

Iann listened, deeply intrigued by Fane's thoughts on his feelings for Faye.  "No it doesn't sound ridiculous, Savin.  It's just...well I do think it's surprising I guess," Iann said, rubbing his palm against his jawline, pondering.  "I mean obviously this isn't some sort of weird Dracula or Angel situation.  The whole centuries-old vampire finding a teenaged girl is their perfect soul mate," he chuckled. 

 "Faye may not have lived as long as you have, but she's tread on plenty toes of herself - the woman has lived plenty." Iann said it with a certain fondness, because he felt no compunction to judge Faye on the life she made for herself.    At the mention of their parental similarity,  it did feel like something of a lightbulb (one of many, since Iann figured Savin's and Faye's regard for each other was more like a chandelier than a single hangling bulb).  Of course, that made sense.  Faye always wanted her husband to be more involved in Eowyn's life, reasonably so.  The bastard was the child's father after all; but like all fathers,  he failed his child.  Fucking typical.

Then here came Fane Savin, super-ultra-mega-dad, sweeping up not just Faye, but her baby as well.  

"Vampires can consider themselves simultaneously unique from and ostracized by all the rest, I've found.  For one reason or another," he said, slightly amused.  Bellamy's hatred of her own kind reminded Iann of Fane's own claim of inter-vampire oppression. Maybe most vampires ended up being rampant assholes, who knew.  Or (Iann's theory) maybe most people were assholes, regardless of what species they were.  Still, Iann teased, "Ohhhhh, vampires."

Iann's face slid into a glazed look again, not because Fane was boring him, but because what he was talking about tied exactly back to Iann, Dani, and Iddy's involvement with the vampire artifacts.  The grimoire being tek magic, or an Egyptian dead-magic spell book; hell, Iddy himself being considered the cult’s  'Chosen One' because of his possible ancestral vampiric ancient Egyptian roots.  Iann tugged out his smoking pipe from his pocket.  

"Do you mind if I smoke?" he asked hopefully, if a little dazed.  

the dutiful