The plague wasn't his doing. That was... something else. I never managed to find the source of it, but I caught the stench in the palace on more than one occasion whenever those creatures were skulking about.
[which courtier it belonged to, she couldn't say. she'd never forget the stink of magic clinging to montag during those last few days. it wasn't the same sickly-sweet smell of death, but it came close. death, but wrong. to keep her mind off of it, morga lifts her head to look him in the eye as best she can and holds his gaze for a long minute. there was so much she wants to ask, yet... she doesn't know if she can. or if she dares.
finally, she closes her eyes and inhales. he stinks, but... there's nothing out of the ordinary. dirt, sweat, blood... and underneath it, something that's still distinctly julian. she can sense something else, too, but it's faint and buried. whatever it is, it doesn't worry her. it's still him. she's certain and willing to bet on it.
it's with some reluctance that she removes her arm from around his back, but it's for a good reason. she reaches up again to touch his face, and for the first time her brows knit together.]
Tell me how long he had you, Julian. Or... how long you think he did. For us, it's only been a few months.
no subject
[which courtier it belonged to, she couldn't say. she'd never forget the stink of magic clinging to montag during those last few days. it wasn't the same sickly-sweet smell of death, but it came close. death, but wrong. to keep her mind off of it, morga lifts her head to look him in the eye as best she can and holds his gaze for a long minute. there was so much she wants to ask, yet... she doesn't know if she can. or if she dares.
finally, she closes her eyes and inhales. he stinks, but... there's nothing out of the ordinary. dirt, sweat, blood... and underneath it, something that's still distinctly julian. she can sense something else, too, but it's faint and buried. whatever it is, it doesn't worry her. it's still him. she's certain and willing to bet on it.
it's with some reluctance that she removes her arm from around his back, but it's for a good reason. she reaches up again to touch his face, and for the first time her brows knit together.]
Tell me how long he had you, Julian. Or... how long you think he did. For us, it's only been a few months.