CROYDON 2: CROYDON HARDER

[falsify]

January 7th-14th: Once the purge really gets going, it's pretty obvious that Croydon's being targeted disproportionately. It's less of a surprise than some might like; the area's a source of numerous bruised egos - Eames' included - but more than that, every side involved clearly wants to put this to bed. Daybreak, unfortunately, has a lot more backing and more official channels to go through to get the upper hand. Numerous people are taken in by the Night Council on whatever charges of using dark magic can be used against them, and it leaves a not insignificant dent in their power. Clever, one might suppose, reduce the numbers before Daybreak - Norrell, let's all be honest here - send the bodies in to take the area. Eames has the fae on his side and the people in his employ do what they can to undermine this though. Moving people out of the area quickly and under the noses of the Council guardians sweeping the area, goods hidden, the odd person stored away safely in Faery. More than anything, it's a move of solidarity with those living here. A gentle suggestion that those witches, fae, metas, etc. in the area can trust him and his to look after them. January 15th: This is a losing fight, and Eames makes it clear no one is obligated to join in before things start. There's too many extenuating circumstances to have a hope of keeping their hands on Croydon. Still. Eames is too frustrated with the current state of affairs to let it go easily, and he amasses a small militia of the like-minded. They may not be able to keep Croydon, but they can make it difficult as hell to take. The plan is simple: In the early hours of the morning, before the sun has risen, they'll attack. The intent was to avoid bloodshed last time, but this time the intent is clearly to kill as many as possible. By the evening they'll have withdrawn, and Norrell can have fun explaining to the families of the deceased that they died for a shithole like Croydon.

Comments

[knowstheworld]

Childermass is familiar enough with most things illegal to be able to recognize that yes, he's not in any imminent danger. Not yet anyway. He raises his hands before him in a defensive, placatory gesture, well aware that he's been caught out -- why bother to try and make excuses for it? Childermass often finds that it's better not to waste his time with such things.

"Can you blame me?" he asks instead, raising a careful eyebrow at the other man instead, at coffee and gun alike. Taking in the measure of him as they stand opposite of each other for the moment.

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"It was your choice," which is to say, yes he can, "just because you do it for your master doesn't make it any less so."

Eames' manner is nonchalant, even going so far as to gesture freely with the hand holding the gun. But his eye is sharp and he takes stock of Childermass as they talk. More able to focus on him now, he's certain of something he'd had an inkling of that time in Norrell's home. Magically speaking,he's almost certainly Norrell's equal.

Begs the question as to what keeps him in his service.

[knowstheworld]

It's a good question as to what keeps him in Norrell's service. A question that, if Childermass should ever be asked, has a very complicated answer and one that will almost certainly never be given truthfully. Perhaps it's best for the pair of them that they are instead standing apart and taking stock of one another instead of attempting such conversation.

Childermass shrugs in response to the other man's accusation. He is his own man, and yes, it was his choice. Norrell lets him do as he wishes and it's just the way that he likes. If he had to wait for Norrell to decide to tell him to do something then he can only imagine how unproductive he'd be.

"Would you not have sent a scout yourself, if given the opportunity, sir?" he asks, plainly.

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"What I'd do is irrelevant," Eames says with a smile and a shrug, "I'm not the one at gunpoint."

People don't typically send their servants off on scouting missions though, which suggests the man is more than a servant in the traditional sense. More akin to a right hand man than a valet, perhaps? But that only tells him so much. The best route to Norrell would likely be through Childermass, but Eames suspects the reverse would be infinitely easier.

Ah well. The night is young, maybe there's something worthwhile to learn yet. "See anything interesting?" He asks casually, almost as if just seeking idle gossip.

[knowstheworld]

Childermass shrugs slightly in response to the question. As though he has not just been caught out by a man with a gun. No, rather, a fae with a gun, which Childermass surmises is a far more dangerous person to be cornered by.

"I've found you, have I not?" he says. Even if he had technically been found out by the fae himself.

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"It's... So sweet that you think I'm interesting," Eames smiles, though it doesn't reach his eyes, "but we both know that isn't what I meant. Is it, Mr. Childermass?"

[knowstheworld]

Childermass shrugs again. "Perhaps it is not," he concedes. "Perhaps I have found nothing more interesting than yourself." He spreads his hands in front of him, pointedly indicating how quiet the whole area seems to be.

"There seems less activity about than I was anticipating, to be sure," he notes aloud.

[falsify]

He laughs, and this time the smile does reach his eyes. Something about what Childermass has said clearly tickles him, and he shakes his head.

"Careful. That's dangerously close to flattery," there's something distinctly unpleasant in the way he smiles and tilts his head, looking the man over, "but I am curious as to what it is you expected." Eames makes a broad, sweeping gesture, almost mimicking Childermass' own from a moment ago, "riots, perhaps? Orgies in the streets? A borough rife with hedonism and fae spiriting away hapless mortals?"

[knowstheworld]

"Mmm," Childermass says, humming low and deep within his throat, and he cannot help his wry quirk of a smile in response to them. "Perhaps not so exciting as that. Although orgies in the streets would be quite the sight."

He turns to look down the way beside them as if trying to picture it, right then and there. "Especially in the streets of Croydon," he notes, amused by the thought in his own deep, rough, Yorkshire sort of way.

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"Ah, the voyeuristic type? I should have guessed," Eames says with another considering look at Childermass. Not that he cares at all what the man is in to, but more a general curiosity about this relative stranger snooping around his territory. "Can't say I blame you." He continues with a slight shrug, "it's... Extraordinarily uncomfortable, even in the most well-kept towns."

[knowstheworld]

Childermass turns back to the other man, raising an eyebrow at him in turn. "What is?" he asks, with a curious quirk of his eyebrow. "Orgies in the streets?" He shifts on his feet slightly, everything about his manner casual, as though he has forgotten that Eames had pulled a gun on him. "Are you speaking from experience then?" he inquires, with the quirk of a smirk at him as well. "And here I was, thinking that you were trying to tell me such an assumption would be wrong."

[falsify]

Eames laughs, "well this is hardly the setting for it, wouldn't you agree?" Honestly the idea of an orgy in the streets of Croydon makes him feel a little ill, and he shudders for effect. "Hyde Park in the summer, maybe. Much nicer."

[knowstheworld]

Childermass shrugs slightly. Hyde Park in the summer is nicer, he'll give him that much. He grew up a street urchin himself though, of sorts. He's always had a particular affinity for the darker, shadier parts of town. Not that London is exactly his town, of course. That much is pretty obvious, especially given his Yorkshire accent and manner of speech.

"Perhaps," he responds. "Certainly not in the middle of a conflict such as this, I'll give you that much." And you'll definitely not find Norrell leading such an event in celebration afterwards either. Regardless of the location, Croydon, Hyde Park, or otherwise.

[falsify]

God, Norrell leading an-- Ugh. Never even joke.

Still. Fun conversations aside, Eames goes quiet for a moment. He doesn't expect Childermass to tell him anything worthwhile, but he can't let the man go without getting anything for his time. And it'd be a terrible shame to kill him here. There's so much more fun to be had.

"You still haven't tell me what you've found," Eames says, gesturing impatiently with the gun, "much as I'm enjoying this little chat of ours, I'm not out here pointing a gun at you for fun."

[knowstheworld]

Childermass shrugs slightly, as though he isn't particularly bothered with the fact that Eames is pointing a gun at him. He certainly doesn't think that the man is about to shoot him. He wants information out of him after all.

"I can't imagine that anything I've found would be news to you," he hazards, casually as you please.

[falsify]

Not fatally, no. But Eames is far from being above torture if it'll get him what he wants. Though he suspects the effort he'd have to expend to get anything worthwhile from Childermass is far more than is worth the pinch of information that he's found.

"But things that'll be news to your master," Eames says with another airy gesture, "that's what interests me."

[knowstheworld]

The information that Childermass would have about Norrell would probably be far more valuable to attempt to get out of him, if Eames were to go to such measures. Childermass doesn't intend to stick around long enough to let the other come to such a conclusion though.

"By the time I am able to relay any information of worth back to Norrell," Childermass proceeds, "you will have already gone and made the steps to change it all anyway. I have found nothing of worth. Nothing that he would care about at any rate. You would not have allowed me in so far as that, I am sure." He cocks a wry smile at the other man. "Unless you give me more credit as a spy than I am due."