"Deny no ally their quests, and together we will explore those paths untraveled." - The Speaker
There Meren sat, detained in the Prison of Elders. All around her muted snarls, curses, and growls permeated the cell's walls - chilling her to the core. The little pod was the only thing that stood between her and whatever lay outside. And, judging from the sounds, Meren had a pretty good idea of what that was.
It was Eliksni that shared the cellblock with her. Meren didn't need to peer through the pod's single porthole to confirm her suspicions. She could hear their words - muffled just beyond comprehension.
Could they smell her? Or was this always how it was? She huddled down and pressed herself against the cell's smooth wall.
She was a little banged up after her violent journey. The Prison's transport system obviously hadn't been designed with humans in mind. Nothing felt broken, but there would be bruises tomorrow. She would have Variks to thank for that.
No, she reminded herself, he was just trying to protect me. The thought made her feel funny. It had been at Variks' behest that she had gone off to meet the Spider. Look how that had turned out. Did he have her safety in mind then? What had changed? Meren didn't know, and she wasn't likely to figure it out sitting in here - especially not with all this noise
With nothing to pass the time, save her own thoughts, Meren desperately wished she could drift off. But the guttural growls - the words she couldn't make out - made sleep seem impossible.
After the first hour, Meren started to get cold. She had expected Variks to come retrieve her straight away. But when he didn't show, she curled up on the floor, nestled in the Spider's cloak. The ruff of fur was warm, and the fabric smelled pleasant. At least to her.
By the second hour, in a desperate bid to save her sanity, Meren resorted to counting the number of rivets around the porthole's window. There were fourteen. Definitely, fourteen. But that couldn't be right. So she fell to counting them all over again. At some point, Meren managed to doze off - a blessed reprieve from her madness.
It was three long hours before the hatch to her little pod slowly hissed open. The door swung outwards and up. Variks was standing there looking positively apologetic. Meren gazed up at him from where she sat - pressed up against the back wall, huddled in the Eliksni cloak.
"You certainly took your time." Her voice was humorless.
"Not my fault." Variks stuck his head into the pod for a moment before making a snuffling sound and shaking his head forcefully.
"You stink of death," he hissed.
Was that what the Spider had meant when he had said she smelled like a Wolf Killer? It must be the cloak, Meren realized.
Variks squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before overcoming the apparent stench. Everything hurt, and Meren was slow in getting to her feet. As she stood, she straightened the cloak around her shoulders. Variks' hand was suddenly there, outstretched and waiting. Meren took it and he pulled her easily from the cell.
As she hobbled out onto the catwalk, Variks hesitated. "You are hurt."
"Only my pride." Meren grumbled. "I'm fine."
"You do not seem 'fine.'" Variks circled her, stopping to take a long look at the cloak. He exhaled slowly.
"I can explain-"
"Not here," he growled.
Of course. There are ears everywhere. From where they stood, she finally gazed out at the cellblock. Dozens upon dozens of pods lined the room. Meren had seen it all before, but not like this.
Gnarled claws scrabbled at portholes. Dark blood streaked the windows. Rasping voices echoed from within. These residents were very much alive. Meren only had a second to stare in horror.
"Come," Variks sighed. He was already making for the cellblock's exit.
Meren hurried to catch up with him. When she reached his side, Variks wouldn't look at her. The Eliksni voices came clearer - she could understand every hissed insult and growled curse.
Traitor.
Wretch.
Betrayer.
Human filth.
Meren pulled her cloak in close and closed her eyes. For the briefest second, she wished she couldn't hear them at all.
Beside her, Variks bore it all with such dignity. He was steadfast and silent. Surely he had heard it a thousand times before. Or maybe he truly didn't care. But it stirred something in Meren. Compelled by compassion, she placed her hand gently on Variks' shoulder.
Meren let her touch linger for just a moment. He glanced at her hand with two of his eyes. Whether he was offended or grateful, she couldn't tell.
They exited the chamber in silence. The door slammed shut behind them, drowning out the Eliksni's voices. No sooner were they free from the cellblock than Variks rounded on Meren.
"Take that off," Variks snapped.
Meren blinked in surprise as she obediently let the cloak fall from her shoulders before bunching it up in her hands.
"House of Spider," he mocked, "No true House. A den of crime, nothing more. Are you proud to wear his banner?"
"No."
Variks scolded, "Spider makes a fool of you. Do not let me catch you wearing it again."
Meren tried to take the Judgement scribe's rebuke in stride. It seemed like such a silly thing to be upset about. But there were rules in play here that Meren didn't fully understand.
Variks slowly shook his head, easing his tone. "You put yourself in danger, wearing that here. What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't…" Meren admitted quietly, clutching the fabric close.
He let out a hissing sigh. "Prince Uldren nearly saw you."
"Is that who-"
"Yes," he muttered, "Why I was late."
"At least you came to get me," Meren offered, "I was beginning to think you were going to leave me in there."
"No. I could not do that, Meren." He paused before his next words. "You should go."
She scowled. Was he seriously telling her to leave after everything she had been through today?
"I don't want to." The words were already out of her mouth before she realized that she must sound like a petulant child.
Variks straightened up and regarded her for a long moment. "Why not?"
"For one, I have nowhere to go. I'm getting awfully tired of sitting in my room alone. Petra has better things to do. Yasmin won't talk to me. And Velia is boring."
Variks chuckled at that.
"For two," Meren continued, "You promised to tell me about the Eliksni when I got back. And your Servitor. And whatever's going on between you and Arrha."
Variks shifted his staff in his hands and seemed to be thinking it over, but Meren's vindication was short-lived. The Eliksni turned away silently and started walking away.
"Variks!" Meren went after him. "How long do you plan to keep stringing me along?"
"'Stringing you along,'" he snorted, "Your human phrases make no sense."
Eliksni had idioms too, Meren knew. From a human standpoint they were just as nonsensical. But she wasn't about to get into an argument with him over semantics.
Instead, she tried to be helpful. "It just means-"
"I know its meaning."
"Then you know that's exactly what you're doing right now." Meren said pointedly.
Variks made an exasperated sound. Meren followed him around a bend in the corridor before he spoke.
"You are as impatient as Arrha," he growled.
Meren raised her eyebrows. Now they were getting somewhere.
"You remember I advised Skolas for a time," Variks began, "He rarely heeded my advice. Yet I had his ear."
Variks slowed enough to let Meren fall in beside him.
"Arrha was a Wolf once - hungry for honor. Wanted to improve his station with the Kell. But searched for an easier way. Arrha thought himself clever. He came to me, asked me to tell Skolas lies to gain ill-gotten glory."
Meren listened with rapt attention as she walked alongside Variks through the dimly-lit corridor.
"But I had no fondness for Arrha. Even then. I told Skolas the truth, what Arrha had asked of me." Variks' eyes glittered. "And the Kell docked his arms twice over."
It was brutal. Meren had come to expect no less from Skolas. But it was Variks' malicious honesty in the story that she had not anticipated.
The Eliksni continued. "Then Cybele. Just another loss to fuel Arrha's hatred. He would not bow to the Queen. We parted on...unfriendly terms."
Meren couldn't help but feel a little bad for Arrha. He had lost everything - dignity, honor, and House.
"That's...awful," Meren whispered.
"Do not pity Arrha." Variks retorted. "He could have stayed with House Wolves. Instead, he had only one thing in mind - himself. Now see what he has become?"
Little Arrha, the Spider's associate. Meren tried hard to see things from Variks' perspective. But Arrha had been polite to her today. And she had no personal reason to dislike him.
"What's so wrong about finding another means of living?" Meren asked.
"The means are dishonorable," Variks growled.
"Dishonorable or not, Arrha has been nothing but respectful towards me," she offered.
"Too respectful." he grumbled in reply, "I do not like the way he speaks to you."
Even though she knew Arrha's respect was all an act, Meren found it oddly endearing. It was Variks' tone that she took issue with - his words came off as overbearing and possessive.
"Why do you care?" Meren eyed him. "It doesn't bother me."
Variks shook his head. "Then you are naive. You would do best to stay away from him."
"Why?" Meren frowned. "Arrha is the first Eliksni who actually wanted to talk to me."
Variks went rigid and he fell just out of step with Meren. A rumble in his chest. Her words had seemed to hit a nerve.
"I suppose you think he is your friend, yes? " Variks hissed.
"Arrha isn't my friend," Meren countered, "but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy his company today."
Variks' claws tightened around his staff, mandibles clicking. What had gotten into him? Arrha had done nothing wrong to Meren.
"Is Arrha all you will speak of now?" His voice was sullen.
He had made his dislike for Arrha clear. There was something else bothering him. She just stared at the Eliksni as a strange notion crossed her mind. The faintest of smiles curled her lips. "Are you…jealous, Variks?"
The scribe's claws twitched. "No."
He stood there fidgeting uneasily. It seemed almost plain as day - the Eliksni was lying.
"You are." She grinned.
Variks looked away. He was being ridiculous. What was there to be jealous about? She had spent part of a day out on the Tangled Shore. That was all.
"Variks," Meren said gently, "I spend more time with you than I do with Arrha. Or the Spider. Or Petra, Yasmin, and Velia combined."
Variks snorted. "Only because you want me to tell you stories."
"I do like your stories," Meren offered, "But that's not the only reason."
"What other reason is there?" He crossed his lower arms.
Though they had gotten off to a rocky start, Meren had to admit that she was starting to like spending time with Variks.
She met his glowing eyes. "Perhaps...I enjoy your company. Even more so than Arrha's."
A slow blink crossed all four of Variks' eyes. He didn't verbally return the sentiment, but he didn't need to. He had been inviting her back every day. Maybe, just maybe, he enjoyed her company too.
But then Variks had to go and ruin the whole moment. "I have work to do. You need to go."
Her little fantasy was shattered. Meren frowned.
Variks saw the look on her face and groaned. "It is not because I do not want you here."
Meren wasn't convinced. "You've taken me with you on your rounds before. Why not now?"
"This is different," he insisted, "Have work to do with Petra. With the Guardians."
It sounded like an excuse to get rid of her.
"So?"
She was deserving of an explanation. Variks spoke plainly, then. "Your Vanguard moves against Skolas."
Meren was shocked by his candor. But that didn't sound right, either. Cayde's situation report had made it clear that the Vanguard had intended to go after Skolas alone.
Meren narrowed her eyes. "What did you do, Variks?"
"I did nothing, I assure you." His eyes glittered back at her.
He had just told her the truth - and followed it up with another lie. Meren rolled her eyes.
But Variks continued, "Perhaps someone passed your situation report to the Crows. The Crows passed the knowledge to Uldren. Uldren to Petra, Petra to the Queen…"
There it was - the thinly-veiled truth. Meren crossed her arms and gave him a grudging nod of respect.
Variks inclined his head slightly in response. It wasn't much, but coming from him it meant something. He flicked a claw down the corridor - toward the Prison's exit. It was time for her to take her leave.
"Happy hunting." Meren murmured as she turned to go, bunching the Spider's cloak up in her hands.
Stories of the Eliksni and the Servitor would have to wait. Variks would invite her back when this mess with Skolas was over. Of that now she had no doubt.
AN: Thanks to Keltoi for the edits!
