Rescue Me! (from a journalist) OPEN

[splendid_roman]

Who| Ian and open
What| Ian wakes up after his death in the arena and is reminded of what he did there
Where| Training centre - central commons
When| During the last week of the arena
Warnings/Notes| None so far

Ian woke up, which was a surprise in itself. An assessment of his injuries revealed he had none, which was the second surprise. After lying in bed for a while, looking up at the ceiling, he could only conclude that he'd been taken out of the arena before he died from blood loss. Either the technology here was very good or he'd been kept asleep for a long time. He hoped it wasn't the latter and was curious about the former.

He ventured out, feeling tired, but not feeling any of his former injuries. The central commons, it turned out, wasn't the best place to choose. He'd barely got through the door when a journalist shoved a microphone and camera in his face and asked, "We loved your sword fighting. Can you tell us where you learned it?"

A screen nearby was showing one of Ian's fights. One where he killed someone. He'd fought before and he killed before, but for good reason - generally because his or someone else's life was in danger. But there were people he'd killed in the arena for no good reason. There had felt like one at the time, but now those reasons seemed petty.

He went pale and shook his head, looking around in the hopes of seeing someone who could rescue him from this interview.

Comments

[thefemaleson]

The central commons reminded Oscar more and more of a constant ball - less fancy dress perhaps, but the same sort of society poisons floating around. On the plus side, it made it something familiar in this all-too unfamiliar place. Balls she could handle, and it helped her feel less lost. Even the reporters were familiar, in the general thrust questions, if not in the particulars. She fielded them with the same tolerant grace she'd fielded the court gossips - with a polite smile and answers that told nothing of real depth.

But she was still a guard, a protector at heart and when she caught the one man's obvious look of distress she crossed over to him with purposeful steps. She might be disturbed by the glee these reporters took in the blood sports, the enthusiasm with which the death games were shown on the odd moving picture devices, but it hadn't taken her long to understand how to work with that. "Come now," she said, favoring the reporter with a polite smile. "It's far more interesting to leave some things a mystery, is it not?" She shifted slightly to face the man, expertly cutting the reporter out without making it obvious she'd done it intentionally. Her eyes flicked to the screen displaying the man's deeds, and then back to his face. "Let me treat you to a drink, swordsman"

[splendid_roman]

"Thank you." Ian smiled at the woman, relieved. The reporter, forced to give up on his target, turned away and let them go to the bar. "I've been told I have to cooperate so I'll get sponsors, but I can't see how they'll do me any good."

[thefemaleson]

"Cooperation doesn't mean they have leave to harass you," Oscar said, glancing back just to make sure the reporter hadn't followed them. Assured they hadn't, she offered her hand. "Lady Oscar François de Jarjeyes, Commander of the French Royal Guard. So you have been in the Arena?"

[splendid_roman]

He raised an eyebrow at her titles, tempted to kiss her hand for the Lady, but shake it for the Commander. He went for kissing it, giving a title he hadn't a use for, "Sir Ian of Jaffa, at your service." Well, she had rescued him.

"I've just recently been in the arena," he confirmed. "It's just as well I've been cleaned up before being let loose." She wouldn't have liked him smelly and unshaven.

[thefemaleson]

She let him kiss her hand, but gave him a dark look, warning him against trying that little move again. "I am not familiar with Jaffa" she said, with mild interest. She doubted it was anywhere near here, but it made for conversation. She nodded in acknowledgement of his comment about the arena. Let loose he'd said. She'd seen no restraint on their movements, but perhaps it was different when one had been in the arena. She wanted to ask, but that would make her no better than the reporter she'd rescued him from.

"May I get you a drink?" she asked instead.

[splendid_roman]

Well, it was worth a try. He felt like he should buy her a drink for saving him from the reporter, but after that kiss on the hand he wasn't sure about annoying her again. So he said, "Yes, please. I'll have whatever's going that's alcoholic."

"I only went to Jaffa once," he said. "I just happened to be knighted while I was there."

[thefemaleson]

She nodded and left briefly to return with two glasses of red wine. "The selection here is inferior to what I am used to, but I suppose that's to be expected." She handed him his glass with a smile. "You must have made quite an impression, to be knighted on a first visit."

[splendid_roman]

He smiled back. Providing them with decent drinks was probably not high on the Gamemakers' agenda. He took a sip. The wine at least wasn't bad. "I suppose I must have done," he replied, thinking back. "We had just saved one of the King's soldiers and I begged him to let me go looking for one of our companions who'd been captured by the King's enemy. He thought I'd do better if I was knighted."

[thefemaleson]

Oscar raised her eyebrows. Either there was much he wasn't telling her, or this King was freer with his honors than most. Either way it was still impressive. "You are remarkably modest about it. I take it you're not one who covets attention." It was half question, half statement. If he was really one who relished attention, she wouldn't have had to intervene with the reporter.

"I am relatively new here," she said, changing the subject. "So I am not familiar with proper protocol. Are congratulations or condolences in order when one has... returned from the Arena?"

[splendid_roman]

He smiled and nodded. He didn't tend to mention his title to anyone and only partly because it didn't really mean anything.

"Both I suppose," he replied, after a moment's thought. "Congratulations on still being alive, but condolences on not having won and going back in." He certainly didn't want congratulations for anything he'd done in there. "You're not going to be going into the next one, are you?" He sounded a little worried about that prospect.

[thefemaleson]

She shrugged at his concern. While the whole concept of the games was deeply distasteful, she refused to think too much about it. She would do her duty, at least until she found a way home. "So I have been told" she confirmed. "Though I intend to enjoy the luxuries of this place until then. I see little reason to spend too much time worrying about things I can not change at the moment. You will be returning, I suppose?"

[splendid_roman]

"I don't get a choice." Or not a choice he liked anyway. "I suppose you're right and we should enjoy this place while we get the chance." He didn't sound particularly happy about it, though. It was almost like some sort of carrot to make them feel happy about fighting in the arena and it wasn't a carrot he liked.

[thefemaleson]

Oscar was silent for a long moment, both considering the man and his words. "Sent to die again and again..." Her words trailed off and she shook her head. "There is something terribly wrong about the whole thing. Rest assured I plan only to endure it while there is no other choice." She paused and sipped at her drink. Then she set it down and offered Ian a smile. "But the only people hurt by refusing all of this," A gesture indicated the whole complex. "Is ourselves."

[morethathityou]

Callista had watched Ian with the reporters without coming up to him. She didn't really want the Game Makers to think they could target one to influence the other.

Finally, when she did go up to him, it was while the man was alone.

"How are you feeling?"

[splendid_roman]

Ian was just glad the reporters had given up on him and hadn't looked around for fear of catching the eye of another. Despite his own survival, he was surprised to see Callista.

"Not as dead as I thought I was. You're not dead either," he said, pointing out the obvious.

[morethathityou]

She shrugged then. "It's not the first time I've died," she said with a little bit of humor that she knew was probably misplaced. "Though I admit I like the first time better. That had been fighting for something I believed in."

[splendid_roman]

He chuckled, assuming she was joking. It wasn't like anyone could die and come back to life and he was still struggling with the idea that the Gamesmakers let people nearly die before pulling them out of the arena. "I'm glad you're all right now," he said more seriously.

[morethathityou]

"I'm glad that you are too," she answered. "Especially because you were a total idiot back in the Arena."

[splendid_roman]

He blinked, worried for a moment what she'd seen him do on the televisions. Although he wouldn't have called him an idiot for that. "I was?"

[morethathityou]

"Yes," she said. "For trying to save me. You put yourself in harms way." She moved closer and put a hand on his arm. "Thank you," she added. She was grateful, but that didn't mean she wanted it to happen again.

[splendid_roman]

He smiled. That he definitely didn't count as being an idiot. "I couldn't just let you die."

[morethathityou]

She couldn't help but return the smile. Despite how much she didn't like people risking themselves for her, it meant that this man was her friend. "Fine," she said. "But you better expect me to return the favor sometime."

[splendid_roman]

"I'm counting on it," he said and laughed. "But if the people here have medicine this good, I'm not sure it matters much." He should probably try not to get beheaded, though, that might be beyond even their medicine.

[morethathityou]

"I'm not sure this is just medicine," Callista said thoughtfully.

[splendid_roman]

Ian frowned. "What do you mean?"