deernet | Video; un: darkness; Forward dated to 2/10

[Maul looks very serious but also with a touch of the cat that finally caught the canary as he starts the video.]

I thought I would just give a formal announcement that I have broken the curse which has been on me since Deerington. For those who didn't know about it, it caused me to feel pain whenever I harmed another sentient being. But no more.

[He sounds extremely pleased by that. Though any traces of glee are soon replaced by a murderous expression on his face, his eyes hardening until there is only fury in them.]

If any of you feel like being clever and immediately trying to put another leash upon me, I would advise against it. I didn't retaliate this time but next time I will kill anyone who tries to meddle in my life, whether or not it is my own hand that ends your life.[Maul's got enough people in town who he knows would eagerly kill for him if he asked them to, his brother and mate both chief among them. While he usually prefers to do his own dirty work, he's not willing to put himself through another eight months of being muzzled.] Or I shall simply make your life so miserable that you wish you were dead. After all, most sentient species contain around two hundred to four hundred bones. Consider the fact I know how to break each and every one of them. Or how most species will continue to survive as long as the brain has oxygen and the hearts continue to pump blood regardless of what else is done to their body. Just a thought.

[He pauses and adds on a little at the end.]

As for the three that did it? You already know I don't forgive and I don't forget. Run and hide if you like. I'll come and find you soon enough.

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[Savage had been watching the back and forth threats pour in, and for once, he wasn't in the middle of it all backing up his brother. He was staying to the sidelines and watching it all play out.

Playing smarter than usual maybe. Taking names, listening to voices and willing to step in if anyone actually came after his brother.

Willow was usually nicer than blatant threats. He didn't claim to know her that well, but it seemed a step above her normal behaviour.]

Willow, leave him be. He's upset and he tends to yell a lot. Don't destroy my brother, or I will take his side without remorse.

[A deep sigh from his nose. He's oddly calm for a throw down post where there are at least 12 enemies of his brother with their flames and pitchforks.]

I'll watch him, but I don't control him. We've both had enough of that.

[The fire is gone as quickly as it ignited, and Willow suddenly sounds like herself again.]

We're all upset. He's said some pretty upsetting things too here, Savage. Right after finally getting his way, too.

[There's no fury left in her tone, she just wants him to understand where she's coming from too. After all the warnings, and threats, one more far more credible threat so soon after Maul has managed to cure himself has her in an extremely precarious position.]

You know I don't anyone to get hurt. Just do what you can to keep him away from us. Please. And I'll do the same.

Edited 2022-02-09 21:41 (UTC)

I'm aware. He's excellent about stoking the fires of others, for better or worse.

[Savage wasn't interested in Maul going after Willow. The other two he could care less about as he either hadn't met them or had limited contact with them and thus they hadn't made the same impression on him as Willow.]

No, you're annoyingly passive about violence if at all possible. [He sighed through his nose.] I'll... keep an eye on him.

I just need you to be aware that my loyalty to my brother remains absolute, as I am certain it is with your allies.

You mean my family? And my friends? I love them just as much as you love him.

[She sighs.]

I don't like this any more than you do, but I think we both know where we stand, and I think we both understand each other's position.

[Savage is a dear friend. She knew there was a risk of it coming to this, and she hates it.]

Let's just hope this is more of Maul being... well. Maul, and this will be the end of it.

Edited 2022-02-10 02:03 (UTC)

I know. You're just... one of those humans that loves too freely.

[He hadn't associated with a lot of those types of people before, and she definitely took some getting used to. While he might not stand against Maul to save her life, he also had proven he wouldn't let much harm her otherwise.]

Yes. You'll still continue with the lessons even if Maul spits his intentions of revenge?

[He was getting better, and he owed her for that.]

Perhaps. Revenge is an action he takes seriously, but he's smart. Much smarter than I am, so he may ponder his next mode of action.

[She smiles a little. It's... sort of a compliment? Maybe?]

Well... We all have people here we'd give our everything to protect. I just have more than one.

And I mean, yeah, of course we're going to keep going with our lessons! My argument's with him, not you. I'm... mostly going to stick close to home for a little while, I think, but we'll figure it out. We can use the network, or maybe I'll just use the lamps to get around until he cools off some. I don't know yet.

[She is beyond pleased to see the improvement in him, and of course she doesn't want to let him down, or see him plateau because he isn't getting the extra help he deserves. His last comment absolutely gets her serious teacher voice.]

And you need to stop that - you're every bit as smart as he is. Even if you don't realize it yet.

I don't need more than one. As you can see, one is more than enough.

[There was huffy affection in his voice. He cared for Maul dearly, but that didn't mean his brother wouldn't drive him a little crazy. That wouldn't stop him standing by his brother no matter what.]

Do you... well, I could pick you up by a lamp and walk with you to the Archive. Or Brute could walk you over.

[She was probably the only reason that he was improving and practicing reading and writing. At this point, he didn't think she'd let him get away giving up when there was improvement.]

It's okay. I wasn't taught the way he was. It doesn't bother me.

[The smile turns into a brief grin.]

Maybe it helps that my loved ones tend to make a little less trouble than yours.

[The smile fades a little at the offer, draining into something more serious.]

Are you sure? Isn't that going to put you in a really awkward position if we do run into him?

I think I've said this before too - just because he was taught differently from you, doesn't make him smarter. There's a difference between education and intelligence. Give yourself more credit.

A little, yes. I would be the same if I was stripped of what makes me a warrior as well. It's who we are, what we were bred to do, but as Vicious says, we must moderate for best results.

[Maul had put himself together, and while he didn't agree with the spell, he also kept himself out of that business. He was confident he could defend Maul, but he understood why his brother had chaffed under that spell.]

Maybe, but he's my brother and I can handle him well enough.

[Well enough that Willow could slip away and find her way safely to a location.]

Very well. [He had discovered not to argue with her on such matters.]

Well... I think by now you know me well enough to know that's not the kind of decision I would have made lightly, or easily. It was an extreme measure for some pretty extreme circumstances. It doesn't matter - it's not going to happen again, there's no point when it's so easy to get around it just by fracturing yourself the way he did.

[That Savage assures her he can handle his brother if they encounter him says a great deal - about who he is, how far he's come, and just how much he thinks of the friendship that's grown between them. She had seen first hand how willing he was to protect her in November, when he fought off and killed the zealot that had come after her, but this is a bit beyond what she ever would have expected from someone who said he would follow his brother's orders. Always.

It means a lot.]

Thank you. If you're sure, I'll keep meeting with you.

I know. I see no point in getting involved unless it is asked of me. My brother will make the decision that is best for him.

[He thought of talking about the fracturing, having to lure out the insanity that had been produced. It was not easy to deal with that side of his brother, relive how he had found someone who would become so important to him. It reminded him how far his brother had come.]

Very well. Same time and same days then.

Video; un: darkness; Forward dated to 2/10

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