The Final Act (2/3) (PG-17) (PG-17)

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 6th September 2020
Series: The Assassin's Husband

Characters: Varlin, Lusilk
Description: Lusilk fights for her life
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 5, day 2 of Turn 10
Notes: Follows BLW: The End Game.
Rating: PG-17

Lusilk

Varlin drew another knife, but it was too late; the man was already too
far into the trees. If he'd not had to throw with his weaker hand... He
made no move to help Khaggo, but watched, expressionless, as his former
partner's lifeblood drained away.

"Shards, Lusilk." He sounded weary. "I hoped he'd kill that smith before
I let you have him. Now I'll have to go and find the wretched man in the
Weyrhold. You don't make it easy."

The dark look on Lusilk's face spoke volumes as she rose away from the
corpse. "You allied with _him_ of all people. You know what he was,
who he was. What he did. You were going to give my son to him, to take
him back to Rorrigraf!" At that moment, the personal betrayal caused
much more pain than anything else he had done. Her lips twisted in a
snarl as she paced forward. "You fecking utter bastard. You'll not
touch Lorican or my son. I'll kill you first."

"Ah, Lusilk. Didn't I always tell you?" He sounded almost regretful as
he watched her approach. "Never get close to anyone." Then, in an
instant, he went from stillness to a viciously swift lunge towards her
heart.

She dodged just in time and felt his blade score a line across her
shoulder in a shallow laceration. In response, she thrust out a fist
towards his nose and leveled a kick at his groin. "You taught me that
already."

Varlin was already turning as her fist grazed his cheek, reaching out to
hook an arm around her neck, but she was gone. Fierce joy burned inside
him as they traded blows in a rhythm so fast he responded more by
instinct than thought. It had been too long since he'd met anyone who
could match him, too many Turns of hapless guards and slitting throats.
With it came a sharp pang of sorrow, that it must end, as he'd known it
must since he'd learned that she'd failed in her task.

As the shadows fell across the clearing, he backed off for a moment, his
breath harsh in his throat. **You have to finish this.** His injured
hand was an aching mass, the palm slick with blood, useless - unless...
Grimacing, he crouched and forced his fingers to close around a fistful
of dust and earth, then rose, flung it in her face and stepped forward,
bringing his knife through to drive up and under her ribs.

The dust spattered on her face, blinding her. It was a trick he'd only
ever tried on her and during that sparring round, he had...Sputtering
with her eyes watering, she dropped her arm, deflecting the savage,
killing blow just enough to have the knife drive into and audibly
crack one of her ribs. Lusilk cried out in pain and anguish, stumbled
back and felt the blade slash through her side. She fell to her knees,
gasping for breath.

An instant later, the point of his bloodied knife was pressed to her
throat. Varlin kicked away her blade and looked down at her, breathing
deeply, all the exhilaration of the fight draining from his body. He'd
known what he would have to do, from the moment he'd learned she'd
failed him, and when he spoke, his voice was filled with bitterness.

"You must have loved that craftsman very much. To risk everything for
him." His fingers tightened on the hilt of the knife. "I hope it was
worth it."

Lusilk turned her watery eyes up to look at him. Streaks of tears,
not wholly from the dirt, made visible tracks down her face. Her
voice was soft and grieved, but oddly accepting of what was to come.
"Love him? You fecking idiot." She met his gaze, and for once, very
real emotion shone in her expression. "The only man I've ever felt
love for and ever wanted is you. It's always been you. From the
first. Losing you after...it killed everything I ever hoped for. "

Varlin froze. He felt an unfamiliar sensation, welling up from deep
inside, a part of him so long forgotten he hardly recognised it. Amid
the shock and pain and regret for all the wasted Turns was...joy. His
hand wavered, the blade dropping a fraction from her throat.

She appeared to close her eyes, making herself ready for the end,
but before he could strike, there was a hesitation. Before she could
even think further, a knife under her off hand slid into her palm and
she thrust upwards. The blade sank in where she aimed, deep into his
lower side and she quickly twisted it, piercing his liver in what she
knew would be a fatal blow.

At first it felt as though she'd hit him and he stumbled back from the
blow, reaching out to steady himself on her shoulder, his brow creased
in mild surprise. Then he caught the glint of the blade in her hand
and looked down, at the dark spreading stain on his shirt. He brought
his free hand up to touch, his fingers came away wet and crimson, and
he knew.

He met her gaze, his eyes very wide and lips parted as if to speak,
but no sound came out. The knife that moments ago had been pressed to
Lusilk's neck slipped from his hand and fell unheeded to the earth at
his feet. He tried to take a step towards her, but his legs buckled
and he fell to his knees before her.

In pain from her own wound, she still wasted no time as he fell. He
picked up his blade and threw it away, quickly checked his sleeves and
found nothing. Weeping quietly, she gathered him in her arms as best
she could and cradled Varlin against her. "I'm sorry, Varlin. I'm
sorry. I can't let you have my son. Lorican...he can take care of him
when I'm gone. Watch over him. " She pressed her hand against the
wound she'd given him, stemming the flow of blood as best she could.
"I didn't want this to happen. I'm so sorry. That's why I left. I
didn't want it to come to this. I love you." She kissed his brow,
stroking his face with a gentle hand. "But I swear, I'm going to
kill Rorrigraf. For doing this to us. I swear. "

His hand covered hers, bloodstained fingers entwining with her own. "I
told you..." Through the pain, he managed the old smile, that he'd
only ever shared with her. "Don't - bloody - apologize. That was...a
good move. I didn't see it coming. If anyone can put an end to that
old bastard, it's you."

He tried to push himself up and gasped with the effort. "Lusilk, I
need to tell you something. About that smith. The Holder who wants him
dead, he'll send others, once he learns I've failed. If you want to
save him..."

"Don't move, Varlin. Hold still." Lusilk held his hand, but kept
her other firmly on his wound. Looking at him, seeing that old smile,
one that she had dearly treasured, made the grief harder to bear. But
it was also so very welcome. She'd missed it.

She nodded. "I have to. He's a good man, Varlin. An actual good man.
And Silgan, he loves him. Tell me what you will...if you can. "

"His name is Belkas, Holder of Shadow Peak. It's a mining hold, in
Garnet Valley territory. Never met the man, but his steward's in on it
too. Your Lorican knew something he shouldn't. Didn't ask what. Some
family secret they were willing to pay a lot to have buried." He
managed a wry laugh, though it made him grimace at the sharp burst of
agony. "If he's as good as you say...they needn't have wasted their
marks. This was...all for nothing."

Belkas. Wealthy, but she'd never thought of him as having much power.
Not a Lord Holder, so security and protection around him wasn't as
likely to be an issue. And he wasn't that far away. She'd handle _him_
first. Varlin's grimace pulled her away from the immediate planning
and she focused back on him.

She couldn't disagree with him. It was all for nothing. Lusilk rested
her brow against his and her voice was a whisper. "Thank you." She
kept pressure on his wound. "You know what your wound means." It would
be a painful death, the poison from his liver slowly moving through
his body. No Healer would be able to help him and all he would be able
to do was suffer until his death. Giving a shaky breath, she continued
to speak softly, even as her voice broke at her next question. "Do you
want me to give you mercy?"

The injured man closed his eyes and a shudder seemed to run through him,
but his fingers tightened around hers and he nodded his head, once. He
could feel the deep chill creeping through his body, sapping his
strength, the sharp bite of pain when he moved. Even if a Healer could,
by some miracle, save his life, the crimes he'd committed would condemn
him. This was the end that had awaited him, even since he'd been made
Holdless, so many Turns ago.

He moved her hand to his chest, placed it over his heart and felt the
quickened beat. "Here. Don't think too much about it. Then go and get
your own wound seen to. And - don't be sad." The smile returned, though
it was tight with pain. "I can't...think of any way I'd rather go...than
here, with you."

Pain was in her eyes as he spoke, the reminder of her own wound making
her realize that she was still bleeding down her side. If she didn't get
help, she'd soon be too weak to make it back to the Weyrhold. Lusilk
caught her breath and nodded, trying to steel herself for what she knew
she had to do. Looking down at Varlin, she swallowed and spoke softly.
"I will always love you. I have always loved you." She bent, pressing
her lips to his one last time.

She was quick as she promised she would be and she was certain that he'd
felt little pain. She caught Varlin's last breath with her lips, then
pulled away with a keen of grief. Ignoring own own pain, she gathered
the limp body in her arms and rocked him back and forth, a wail of
unfiltered agony echoing from the clearing.

Last updated on the October 13th 2020

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The Final Act (2/3) (PG-17) (PG-17)