Sveinn + Ravindra || Questioning the hipster
Who: Ravindra and Sveinn
When: Morning after this event
Where: Guard station
Ratings & Warnings: PG
The guards at the gate had detained somebody on the way back into the city this morning. In light of the night's events, somebody who'd spent the entire night outside the gates was highly suspect. They'd brought him down to the station for questioning, which, of course, fell to Ravi, because he'd passed off all his other duties onto subordinates in favour of station duties.
But when he walked into the holding room, he stopped. This guy. "You," he said, eyes narrowing at the sole occupant of the room.
Sveinn had spent the entire time waiting standing about the center of the space, hands neatly folded before him, with his eyes closed. Listening. It was clear he'd been in some sort of altercation; his silken shirt bore a few dirt-stained tears, and his hair was disheveled. But he didn't seem to be harmed.
When someone approached, those eyes opened, and he lifted his head to look upon the speaker. A faint glimmer of recognition crossed his face before he responded. "Yes?"
Ravi sized him up, taking note of the disheveled appearance and the air of calm. You might think he was ecstatic to be in a position of authority over the guy who'd put his goddaughter in danger, but you'd be wrong. Actually, he wanted to leave and find somebody else to handle this, but alas, nobody else was available.
See, Ravi knew he was going to have to carry out a routine questioning, while also trying to pretend he wasn't completely pissed at this guy, which meant pretending they'd never even met and that there wasn't any animosity between them while they both knew that wasn't true. It meant wondering how long it would take for Sveinn to bring up their encounter, and having no idea how to handle it when it did arise.
Ravi could usually suppress his anxiety long enough to make it through a routine questioning, because there was a script to it and everyone assumed he knew what he was doing because he was the one in charge, but this--this was not an optimal situation.
He leaned against the door, focusing on the journal he'd brought for note-taking in, and avoided Sveinn's eyes. "Your name?"
That other incident was pretty far from Sveinn's mind. Actually, both incidents were pretty far from his mind. He rarely dwelt on much of anything, but, since he'd been detained for this particular incident, he decided he'd have to discuss it anyway.
His response came in a fairly monotone voice, the pretty man not particularly put off by who'd been sent to question him. It was hardly surprising; the man was a guard, which meant anything to deal with the guards had the chance of him showing up. "Sveinn," he replied, still stationary though watching the sergeant.
"Your full name?" Don't sound too exasperated, Ravi, he'll bring it up.
The man paused. Well, he would have, if he'd been doing anything other than standing still. Rather, he took a moment to think about how to answer the question without actually lying curse his heritage. "That is the name I have used on all documents within this city."
Ravi glanced up at him during the pause. What did he have to hide? The answer was suspicious and unsatisfying, but he grudgingly accepted it. He wrote the name down, along with the additional information on it, and tapped his pen against the journal with a frown.
Now for the whole rest of the interrogation. Ugh. He was going to try to get this over with as quickly as possible to minimize the chance of either of them bringing up the incident with Amelia. "What were you doing outside the city last night?"
"Playing the fiddle," he answered. That much was true. And his fiddle probably lay wherever it had been tossed after he'd been detained. Hopefully it hadn't gotten damaged, though the bow would need some repair. "I trust it will be returned to me once I leave?"
Ravi stopped, lowering the journal and pen, and raised an eyebrow at Sveinn. "Playing the fiddle," he repeated, deadpan. Outside the city walls, at night, while the gates were shut. Really, Sveinn? Really?
Sveinn returned the raised brow with one of his own. "Yes. The acoustics in that particular area of the forest are much grander than anything I've found within the city thus far." Also true. He'd spent quite some time looking for just the right sound out there. Shame he'd probably have to find another, what with the shamble of men having likely ruined it with their clambering about. Not to mention all the plants they'd have damaged...
HIPSTERRRR "You were outside the city at night, with the gates locked, to play the fiddle in the woods, because the acoustics are better there?"
How had Amelia gotten involved with this guy, again? She was so not allowed to see him again. She could get funding from the Sabremes or some other not as ridiculously eccentric investor.
"No," came the quick reply. Ravi only had it half right. "I was playing in the woods because the acoustics are better. I was playing at night because the night air is pleasant, and once the gates lock, I have no way back in until morning."
There was so much facepalm for this. So much. It was a heroic effort to refrain from displaying even a fraction of it. Ravi just stared with his best disapproving, flat look, and then lifted the journal to make note of Sveinn's answer.
"What happened to your clothes?" Ugh, immediate regret. He could have gone with something so much better, something that sounded more like a veiled insult or an accusation. Too late now.
Through it all, Sveinn simply watched, patient and observant. It was sort of like studying. He found human behaviour fascinating at times, though this particular specimen wasn't the best to observe. But since he had no choice at the moment, he may as well.
"I was attacked by three men in the woods," he answered. He had no idea who the men had been, only that they'd been inclined to attack him on sight. With iron no less. His arm still ached, and likely would for days. Iron was about the only thing he could not easily heal from.
He would be incredibly fascinating if you could get inside his head, Sveinn! But then again people randomly having telepathy and being able to hear his thoughts was one of Ravi's paranoid fears.
He wrote that down, too. (What Sveinn said, not the bit about mindreading.) Though Sveinn's motives might be absurd suspect, the evidence of him having been attacked was clear enough and Ravi couldn't disbelieve that part of his story. He'd obviously run into a few members of the mob that had been camping out there. "Do you know why they attacked you?" he asked, pretty much only because he was supposed to ask it. It was clear enough that they were just attacking anyone who even remotely seemed like an Other, and some weirdo playing the fiddle out in the woods qualified.
(...Maybe Sveinn was an Other, though?)
Sveinn would probably be glad he wasn't a mindreader, with some of the things people thought. Actually, he was glad. Some of the things people said made him certain of that.
"They'd shouted about vampires and faeries and some other such nonsense as they charged at me, though I'd paid it little mind." Him? A vampire? So absurd. He straightened slightly, put off by the idea, and barely managed to contain an undignified huff.
Vampires--oh, fuck, he hadn't checked to make sure Alex was okay after the raid had gone down. He should do that. Alex would be fine, he was sure. He was smart enough to--well, he was paranoid enough to keep himself out of trouble.
Ah, right, the interrogation. Ravi felt it was clear enough that Sveinn wasn't a part of the mob and didn't need to be arrested on those grounds. But he'd be warning somebody to keep an eye on him, because, seriously, going off into the woods at night to play the fiddle? He didn't buy that.
"That will be all, then." He stepped away from the door, pulling it open. "You can go."
Sveinn gave a nod once Ravi got around to speaking to him again, taking a step towards the door before he paused. "And my fiddle? One of the guards took it from me when I was brought here." There, see, you can even see the fiddle for yourself! Damaged bow and all! Fiddle bows were not meant to be used as weapons.
Eye roll, Sveinn! He turned away and went to find the storage closet where they kept the things that had been taken from detainees. The fiddle was easy enough to see; it was the only one in there, with a broken bow right beside it. Ravi took them both, went back, and handed them over to Sveinn.
Even though he really wanted to keep the damn thing and burn it, grr grr how dare you go near my goddaughter grr.
It's okay Ravi, he won't be inviting her over again you can be sure of that!
Sveinn kept his right arm fairly stiff and tucked against his side as he took the two items, the bow getting tucked into the right hand (which he could still use for lighter things) then the fiddle held in his left. He then gave Ravi a nod and started out, without speaking. Not to be rude, he just didn't feel anything else needed to be said!
When: Morning after this event
Where: Guard station
Ratings & Warnings: PG
The guards at the gate had detained somebody on the way back into the city this morning. In light of the night's events, somebody who'd spent the entire night outside the gates was highly suspect. They'd brought him down to the station for questioning, which, of course, fell to Ravi, because he'd passed off all his other duties onto subordinates in favour of station duties.
But when he walked into the holding room, he stopped. This guy. "You," he said, eyes narrowing at the sole occupant of the room.
Sveinn had spent the entire time waiting standing about the center of the space, hands neatly folded before him, with his eyes closed. Listening. It was clear he'd been in some sort of altercation; his silken shirt bore a few dirt-stained tears, and his hair was disheveled. But he didn't seem to be harmed.
When someone approached, those eyes opened, and he lifted his head to look upon the speaker. A faint glimmer of recognition crossed his face before he responded. "Yes?"
Ravi sized him up, taking note of the disheveled appearance and the air of calm. You might think he was ecstatic to be in a position of authority over the guy who'd put his goddaughter in danger, but you'd be wrong. Actually, he wanted to leave and find somebody else to handle this, but alas, nobody else was available.
See, Ravi knew he was going to have to carry out a routine questioning, while also trying to pretend he wasn't completely pissed at this guy, which meant pretending they'd never even met and that there wasn't any animosity between them while they both knew that wasn't true. It meant wondering how long it would take for Sveinn to bring up their encounter, and having no idea how to handle it when it did arise.
Ravi could usually suppress his anxiety long enough to make it through a routine questioning, because there was a script to it and everyone assumed he knew what he was doing because he was the one in charge, but this--this was not an optimal situation.
He leaned against the door, focusing on the journal he'd brought for note-taking in, and avoided Sveinn's eyes. "Your name?"
That other incident was pretty far from Sveinn's mind. Actually, both incidents were pretty far from his mind. He rarely dwelt on much of anything, but, since he'd been detained for this particular incident, he decided he'd have to discuss it anyway.
His response came in a fairly monotone voice, the pretty man not particularly put off by who'd been sent to question him. It was hardly surprising; the man was a guard, which meant anything to deal with the guards had the chance of him showing up. "Sveinn," he replied, still stationary though watching the sergeant.
"Your full name?" Don't sound too exasperated, Ravi, he'll bring it up.
The man paused. Well, he would have, if he'd been doing anything other than standing still. Rather, he took a moment to think about how to answer the question without actually lying curse his heritage. "That is the name I have used on all documents within this city."
Ravi glanced up at him during the pause. What did he have to hide? The answer was suspicious and unsatisfying, but he grudgingly accepted it. He wrote the name down, along with the additional information on it, and tapped his pen against the journal with a frown.
Now for the whole rest of the interrogation. Ugh. He was going to try to get this over with as quickly as possible to minimize the chance of either of them bringing up the incident with Amelia. "What were you doing outside the city last night?"
"Playing the fiddle," he answered. That much was true. And his fiddle probably lay wherever it had been tossed after he'd been detained. Hopefully it hadn't gotten damaged, though the bow would need some repair. "I trust it will be returned to me once I leave?"
Ravi stopped, lowering the journal and pen, and raised an eyebrow at Sveinn. "Playing the fiddle," he repeated, deadpan. Outside the city walls, at night, while the gates were shut. Really, Sveinn? Really?
Sveinn returned the raised brow with one of his own. "Yes. The acoustics in that particular area of the forest are much grander than anything I've found within the city thus far." Also true. He'd spent quite some time looking for just the right sound out there. Shame he'd probably have to find another, what with the shamble of men having likely ruined it with their clambering about. Not to mention all the plants they'd have damaged...
HIPSTERRRR "You were outside the city at night, with the gates locked, to play the fiddle in the woods, because the acoustics are better there?"
How had Amelia gotten involved with this guy, again? She was so not allowed to see him again. She could get funding from the Sabremes or some other not as ridiculously eccentric investor.
"No," came the quick reply. Ravi only had it half right. "I was playing in the woods because the acoustics are better. I was playing at night because the night air is pleasant, and once the gates lock, I have no way back in until morning."
There was so much facepalm for this. So much. It was a heroic effort to refrain from displaying even a fraction of it. Ravi just stared with his best disapproving, flat look, and then lifted the journal to make note of Sveinn's answer.
"What happened to your clothes?" Ugh, immediate regret. He could have gone with something so much better, something that sounded more like a veiled insult or an accusation. Too late now.
Through it all, Sveinn simply watched, patient and observant. It was sort of like studying. He found human behaviour fascinating at times, though this particular specimen wasn't the best to observe. But since he had no choice at the moment, he may as well.
"I was attacked by three men in the woods," he answered. He had no idea who the men had been, only that they'd been inclined to attack him on sight. With iron no less. His arm still ached, and likely would for days. Iron was about the only thing he could not easily heal from.
He would be incredibly fascinating if you could get inside his head, Sveinn! But then again people randomly having telepathy and being able to hear his thoughts was one of Ravi's paranoid fears.
He wrote that down, too. (What Sveinn said, not the bit about mindreading.) Though Sveinn's motives might be absurd suspect, the evidence of him having been attacked was clear enough and Ravi couldn't disbelieve that part of his story. He'd obviously run into a few members of the mob that had been camping out there. "Do you know why they attacked you?" he asked, pretty much only because he was supposed to ask it. It was clear enough that they were just attacking anyone who even remotely seemed like an Other, and some weirdo playing the fiddle out in the woods qualified.
(...Maybe Sveinn was an Other, though?)
Sveinn would probably be glad he wasn't a mindreader, with some of the things people thought. Actually, he was glad. Some of the things people said made him certain of that.
"They'd shouted about vampires and faeries and some other such nonsense as they charged at me, though I'd paid it little mind." Him? A vampire? So absurd. He straightened slightly, put off by the idea, and barely managed to contain an undignified huff.
Vampires--oh, fuck, he hadn't checked to make sure Alex was okay after the raid had gone down. He should do that. Alex would be fine, he was sure. He was smart enough to--well, he was paranoid enough to keep himself out of trouble.
Ah, right, the interrogation. Ravi felt it was clear enough that Sveinn wasn't a part of the mob and didn't need to be arrested on those grounds. But he'd be warning somebody to keep an eye on him, because, seriously, going off into the woods at night to play the fiddle? He didn't buy that.
"That will be all, then." He stepped away from the door, pulling it open. "You can go."
Sveinn gave a nod once Ravi got around to speaking to him again, taking a step towards the door before he paused. "And my fiddle? One of the guards took it from me when I was brought here." There, see, you can even see the fiddle for yourself! Damaged bow and all! Fiddle bows were not meant to be used as weapons.
Eye roll, Sveinn! He turned away and went to find the storage closet where they kept the things that had been taken from detainees. The fiddle was easy enough to see; it was the only one in there, with a broken bow right beside it. Ravi took them both, went back, and handed them over to Sveinn.
Even though he really wanted to keep the damn thing and burn it, grr grr how dare you go near my goddaughter grr.
It's okay Ravi, he won't be inviting her over again you can be sure of that!
Sveinn kept his right arm fairly stiff and tucked against his side as he took the two items, the bow getting tucked into the right hand (which he could still use for lighter things) then the fiddle held in his left. He then gave Ravi a nod and started out, without speaking. Not to be rude, he just didn't feel anything else needed to be said!