BURN

a handful of confessions

PART 2: ICE

Ice burns, and it is hard to the warm-skinned to distinguish one sensation, fire, from the other, frost. - A.S. Byat

---

"-- and I completely respect your decision." says Weatherford calmly.

"Yes, I'm not happy about the iv--" Tedros stumbles to a stop. "...wait, really?"

"Yes." says Weatherford. "I've been expecting this for a while, to be frank."

"...oh." Tedros feels rather foolish. All of his carefully constructed arguments are suddenly rendered redundant. "But--"

Weatherford stops before one of the high windows in the corridor they're in and leans on the windowsill, looking rather weary in the moonlight. Tedros idles a few feet behind him, watching water drip down into a puddle on the floor, from a leak somewhere in the roof. He ought to get that fixed. They're in the guest wing, it's not good hosting if there's a leak--

"I pushed you to continue taking the ivy because I believed that was the safest option." says Weatherford, cutting into his slightly fevered thoughts. "However, if you think otherwise, I'm happy to support your case to the court."

Tedros squints at him, resting against an ornate mirror. He knows that with Weatherford's backing he instantly becomes a hundred times more credible, but this is a very swift turn in opinion.

"Last year, you said no--"

"Last year it had not rendered you mostly defenceless in the face of an assassination attempt." says Weatherford tiredly. "You and I both know that, had you been at full control of your magic, you could have broken that dagger without touching it."

Tedros frowns. Honestly, he doesn't know what he could have done, but Weatherford is probably right.

He'd told him some of the story-- he'd admitted to breaking the dagger with magic and panic-icing the walls, but he'd eliminated any mention of recognising Ravan, and had made up a fight to explain his other injuries. Weatherford might be his closest advisor, but Tedros dislikes his newfound closeness with Vanessa, and he prefers to keep Her Royal High-Maintenance-ness out of his business as much as possible. He knows full well that Vanessa is already aware of his... situation, and he'd like it if she didn't know much more.

He's not entirely sure he trusts Weatherford with all of his information, either.

"And I want to train." Tedros says, trying to wrest back control of the situation. "Learn to control it better."

"I assumed that was a given, once you stopped suppressing it." says Weatherford, not turning from the window. "But where will you find a teacher?"

Tedros grimaces, still staring at the water dripping behind Weatherford. He's not been able to think of anyone who might be much help to him.

"Well, I thought I could start with--"

"If you're about to suggest you could just try it yourself, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Tedros scowls.

"Can you think of a better option?"

Weatherford turns back, looking much older than his 23 years.

"I'll make a discreet effort at finding people who might have more knowledge." he says. "I shall ask the court--"

"No!" Tedros says, slightly louder than intended. "No, don't tell them--"

"That you're training in secret?" says Weatherford, raising his eyebrows. "They won't be impressed, if they find out."

"It's not their choice." says Tedros coldly.