I will kill you if I see benefit in your absence. (any)

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

Magnus knows all about the deception of appearances—the subtle power they could hold. For all intents and purposes, he looked every inch a man of the Gates: golden, strong, handsome. It was only when you took a second glance that you saw the truth of him: the scars, the knitted flesh, the marred skin. Then you could see the tangling timeline of his life; it was then you could trace the time spent racing through the Jungle as a youth and then serving in the Chamber and then fighting in the Gates and the Dale. His coat was a map of all of the kingdoms that he had served in over the years; all of the wars that he had fought.

Looking at him, seeing the easy smile and gold-flecked eyes, it was easy to miss.
But it was all there, laid open for anyone who was glancing too closely.

Still, there are worlds passing been the companions that he is simply not privy to, and he waits patiently for them, still feeling the tickle of unease in the back of his mind at the size of the snake. He realizes for a second that the snake reminds him, however briefly, of those that called the Amazon home. The thought was comforting, and he felt himself relax in the snake’s presence after that. He was just like the jungle.

“Turkish,” he repeats to the snake’s terse greeting, and then shifting his gaze to the mare, “Smother.” He pauses for a second, considering them both, “It is a pleasure to meet you both.” And, in its own strange way, it was. There was something different about the mare—besides the obvious. Something in the guarded way she looked at him and the directness in her voice. If only he knew she was his niece, if only he knew that she came from the same cursed bloodline as he did; perhaps then it would all make sense.

“My offer is more of a proposal—or an invitation—depending on your perspective,” his voice is husky, and he continues to take care to include them both in the conversation, feeling his legs itching to dance away whenever he glances at the giant snake coiled on the ground. “I come from the Gates, and we are looking for smart, strong souls to join our kingdom.” A pause. “But I only like to discuss details of such an invitation with those who are interested; I hate to waste people’s time.” One corner of his lacerated lips rises into a crooked smile, inky forelock covering the dusk of his gaze. “Would you like to hear more?”

He hopes that they will. The Gates could use a little fire, and they looked like they had it in spades.

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.