WWI-verse Anarchist AU

[ay_my_lord]

*Horatio has a room in a lodging-house not far from the castle; he shares the house with three other men on his floor and an extended family on the floor above him. his belongings, he has largely left in Wittenberg, on the (perhaps vain) hope that the war will soon be over and he will be able to return within a few months' time at most.

with his fellow-lodgers at work, though, he has the narrow front room to himself--or rather, in this case, to himself and Hamlet. he is pouring out tea for them, his spectacles slipping down his nose* I'm glad you came to call today. I'd been hoping I'd hear from you soon--it's been awkward trying to get back to the castle without a wedding invitation.

Comments

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

And now you've got to find your own good ending. *gentlepoke*

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I'll think it through. *is going to die. it's Hamlet!*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*smiles, encouragingly* It doesn't have to be right now. Coups take time to plan correctly.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

It would be nice, though, if I could see the end, and see it clearly, and spend the all that time in-between on details.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

What do you want the end to be?

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I don't know.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*gently prodding* Do you want the king ... dead, or just out of power?

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I want him dead. But ... my mother ...

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Is there any way that you could convince her that you're right to do it?

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I don't know -- *laughs the way he does when he's forcing himself to* It'll be easier convincing the royal guard.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

We can do that first.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I don't see how she can love him. It wasn't even two months -- it was barely one. Was it that easy forgetting father? I don't see how she could love him without forgetting, not when my father had been so ... *stopping, catching his temples between his fingers* I'll have to talk to her, eventually.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*encouragingly* You should. Who knows--maybe she doesn't even love him. Maybe it's political.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

Maybe. Maybe.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Until then, just ... try to put yourself at ease. At least part of this is out of your hands now.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*nods, slowly, taking his hand away from his temples, smoothing back his hair*

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

*small smile* You look handsome today.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*surprised* I do?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Except for the bruise.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*touching it again, lightly, delicately -- he shakes his head* ... You know, I keep thinking about Ophelia. I keep thinking of her as this little dark-haired girl in a pretty dress, sitting alone and shyer even than you were, but she would light up whenever anyone was kind to her -- that's why I wanted to be friends with her -- to see her light up. Her brother never looked anything but darkly at me, though, and I never could befriend him. I don't think he even realized ... *laughs* I hope she's doing all right. I haven't spoken to her in a while, have I?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Not really. You told me that you'd ... you'd gone to her, and tried to say something, but ... *a little smile* You should see her.

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

I'll try. It seems like her father never lets her go anywhere alone, it's ... *takes a breath* It's hard to say anything honestly in court. When you don't know who's listening ... but I want to at least see her.

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

I could take her a note--

[willnotbenow.livejournal.com]

*littlesmile* Will you keep me from writing anything extravagant?

[ay-my-lord.livejournal.com]

Of course I will. *smile* I'll cross out any references to the stars or to mythology, and make you write it again.