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[princeofwhores]

[His Highness and supreme ruler of Tel Maran, crown prince of the Dal'Anor Empire; the Emerald Prince himself is looking.... rather terrible.

In fact, he's not been seen for quite some time, and when he's finally stepping out of his room, he looks a lot thinner. The prince appears sickly and tried, and he walks like he's in his own world, taking a break once before the stairs to catch his breath.

So how about them curses? They tend to suck.]

Comments

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Oop. [he shifts him up a little. careful there, buddy. at least they're almost at the top.]

Easy there.

[princeofwhores]

Nnn... by the sands...

[Thanks, Robin. Then he can get it up, at least. Poor carpet.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[yep. carefully stepping around the black gunk. his shirt's already black, so again--not too worried.]

So how does this curse work, huh? You're not about to die, are you?

[princeofwhores]

We... will die. But not now. We refuse to.

[He coughs again and then does his best to calm down and stand straighter.]

This place has made it worse. We do not have the same ability to ease our pain.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[there we go. he'll set him down at the top of the stairs, careful about it like one might be careful with a vase or a delicate doll. in doing so he keeps an arm around him, hand pressed to his back--maybe for support, as he is very strong, or maybe out of some not-particularly-subtle indication of something.

but really, though, he's just doing it to siphon away some of Majid's pain and feed on it himself. it's been a long time since he's been around anything that hurts as much as he does. so strangely, he might start to feel a little better. it doesn't make the curse go away, but it's a little numbing. just a little.]

Tell me about that.

[princeofwhores]

[Right now, the proud prince sure feels like a delicate china doll... and it bothers him greatly. He sighs and brushes away stray strands of emerald-green hair from his face, glad to have the support. His pride couldn't take a lot more hits at the moment.

At first, he thinks he's imagining it; that the pain has just reached a higher level. But it doesn't pick up again like it usually does. It seems to lessen to the point when the man can actually stand steadily.]

Ah...

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Hm. [he shifts his hand a little, as if debating letting go. this is totally not creepy or anything.] Feel a little better?

[princeofwhores]

...I do.

[He seems rather confused, glancing at Robin.]

That has not happened to us before.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I'm a helper, what can I say.

[he'll take his hand away, then.]

I mean, you're still being eaten away from the inside or whatever, and that won't last very long due to the nature of perpetually growing sicknesses, but hey.

[princeofwhores]

You did this...

[There's a small, exhausted smile.]

We are eternally grateful for this gift. Even if we are still cursed, some relief from this pain is like a blessing.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Be careful. Eternity is a long time.

[he gives him a little pat on the shoulder. buddy. C:]

I'd still love an explanation, though, if you feel like an even trade.

[princeofwhores]

That is true.

[His royal highness sighs and gives Robin a thoughtful look.]

Do you believe in stories? Because we feel like we are part of one. Our mother hated our father, so we are born cursed by her hatred.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I have my own fair share in a number of them. [stories, he means.

he takes a little step towards the kitchen, gesturing for Majid to follow. he wanted to go there, right?]

And that's the curse that's killing you? That's a hell of a grudge.

[princeofwhores]

We understand some of her grief.

[He sighs and walks with Robin.]

In order to break it, we must find someone to love us before we turn 25. But we do not believe in love.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Mm. [he considers that for a moment--what a silly notion. there's a lot there he could pick at. but instead, he just asks the simple (or the very complex, depending on how you think about it).]

And why not?

[princeofwhores]

We have never seen it. Only false love from those who seek power. Those who see only a future emperor and not a man.

[Kind of emotionally fucked, this one =/ ]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[Robin ruffles his hair. I'm sorry.]

You're cute.

[princeofwhores]

...that's something we have not heard in years.

[He looks quite surprised, but then chuckles.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Well, maybe you should hear it more often. What a pessimistic outlook...

[he scoots through a doorway first, slowing to look at him properly as he assumedly follows suit.]

It exists. It's just a bitch and a half to find, is all.

[princeofwhores]

[He does follow, even if he's a little slower due to his exhaustion. With the pain lessened, Majid could feel how tired he was.]

Have you experienced it?

[What is this private matter thing.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

I have. A long time ago.

[privacy is overrated. love is weird that way.]

[princeofwhores]

...hm. Yet it ended?

[If love existed, it shouldn't work that way, right?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

It's unfortunate. [he touches the counter-top for a moment, the idea dragging something out of him that makes him stop smiling.] I just have a bad habit of tying my heart to birds.

[but then he turns to face him and smiles again.] You should avoid it, if possible.

[princeofwhores]

...we will keep that in mind.

[It was obviously an important thing to the other man, even if Majid didn't quite understand the allegory.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he appreciates it when people listen to him. :| he just sits himself down by a table and gestures at one of the Machine Men to get him something. chop chop, metal servant.]

Though I would hope your particular condition has a quicker fix. I don't think you'll exactly fall in love in the next few hours.

[or however long he has to live with how fast that thing is spreading.]