milliways_bar | (no subject)

When Beverly went back to work, Price commended her for "getting back on the horse" and every time she thinks about that now she kind of wants to laugh hysterically. It's been -- it's been a weird, weird week.

When the door opens into the bar, she stops short in the doorway, staring. Then, cautiously, she closes and opens it from her side. That works; she steps through and tests it from the Milliways side. Still works, and still opens onto the break room at Quantico. Satisfied that she's not going to be stuck here again, she heads to the counter. As she sits down, Bar delivers a note. And . . . a balloon. The balloon is pretty cute. The note -- not so much.

Beverly reads it twice, then sets it down with a sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose with her good hand. (Her right is still bandaged, though the doctor assures her that her fingers are healing well.)

"Bar, can I have a double Bushmills?"

There are things she can deal with sober, but the combination of dealing with Hannibal Lecter at work, dealing with the situation here, and finding a live bird in a dead woman's chest just. Is not one of those things.

[ooc: Usual warnings about the gruesomeness of Beverly's canon apply, turned up a little because "Su-Zakana" is a hell of an episode. Let me know if you'd rather her work not come up.]

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Beverly's eyebrows arch.

"The gods are paying very close attention, huh."

"Sometimes they do. I don't speak of favourites, but I do believe He has a plan for us, and sometimes may pay attention to a particular person. Ragnar Lothbrok is... one of those people who changes things."

Edited 2014-12-11 00:34 (UTC)

"Aren't we all?"

"In our own small ways, perhaps. But he can't be much past thirty, if that, and already an Earl."

"Sounds like a go-getter," Beverly says, rather dry.

Who goes and gets nice young men from Northumbria to be household servants.

The tone gets a worried sidelong look.

"...I don't know what that means, but probably yes."

"It means someone ambitious -- someone who goes out and gets what they want, you know?"

"Oh. Yes." He nods. "I think what he really wanted was for his family to be safe but... they never could be while the old Earl lived."

She raises her eyebrows.

And he killed someone and gained political power for it, too! This guy sounds great.

Although, that being said -- she is not exactly unfamiliar with being in a dangerous position as long as someone else is alive and at large.

So when she says "I see," quietly, it's not as dubious as it might once have been.

"The Earl tortured his brother", Athelstan says simply. "That was the final straw - he sent the challenge before his wounds even healed."

"This is going to sound obvious," she says slowly, "but these people you're staying with don't sound very nice overall."

"They live hard and violent lives", he agrees, "and they are... people who can live that way. But they are like any people, they may be nice or not depending on the situation. I truly have been fortunate, you know, to have a good and fair master. By their law, he could treat me however he chose, but he has never once struck me."

Edited 2014-12-13 21:24 (UTC)

"But he's still a master," she says, "not a friend."

She tosses back the last of her drink and stands.

"Yes", he says, looking up at her. "Are you going?"

"Yeah," apologetically, "I ought to get back to work."

Which is true -- but there's also only so long she can sit and listen to matter-of-fact recitations of kidnapping, murder, torture, and slavery before it starts to feel like a busman's holiday.

"Nice to meet you, though."

"And you", he says with a nod of acknowledgment. "I hope we'll speak again."

And he'll try to keep the upsetting subjects out of it next time!