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Jan. 14th, 2026 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iniquiticityLatin Prompts: Mens sana in corpore sano. A sound mind in a sound body. (Xav)
As usual these days, Xav was on the patio on his Bonsanklar cottage, looking out at the forest and up the mountainside. It was a beautiful day: not close enough to midsummer to become crowded with tourists around the Emperor's Birthday, well far enough into springtime that the warm sun glittered down on the green trees and the birds all chirped enthusiastic songs.
Despite the beautiful weather, it was rather easy to feel gloomy about things. He had spent his entire life impressing to Yuri that he did not want Barrayar in any way and would reject anyone who sought to make him its ruler; before the occupation and two decades of fighting, he had been more confident Yuri believed him.
Yuri had always had a mean streak, of course, taking things from him and throwing him into Barrayar's various lakes, but as children Yuri had always checked, after, to make sure Xav hadn't drowned. Seven years into Yuri's rule and Xav was not going near any lakes around him. Xav didn't even particularly want to be in Vorbarr Sultana around him.
He went into the city when he was required, of course. Birthdays, political events, diplomatic meetings. Each time Yuri - Mad Yuri, they called him now - stared at him like he was livestock still being fattened. No matter how much he tried to convince any of his children to leave, none of them would.
The truth was he thought more and more about moving to Beta Colony entirely. But look at the mountains - look at his home! He loved the forests and the long plains and great mountains and even, yes, every lake that had involved an involuntary swim and occasionally a mysterious rash.
"Wow," said Emily, wrapping her arms around him, putting a kiss on his neck, and looking up at the mountains, "No matter how long I live here, I still find them breathtaking." She could sense his moodiness, and he was always moody about the same thing. "This is the most beautiful planet. It's so beautiful I sometimes forget the madness of its people. Luckily I seem to have found the only sane Barrayaran."
"No such thing as a sane Vorbarra," he murmured, "Did you know, that before I met you, I thought I was the mad one?" he asked her.
"Well, if the Emperor is your comparison, yes, I could see that."
"Always staring into space, wondering what was out there, if it would ever return. Meanwhile the rest of them were so focused on power. Yuri threatened to kill me a few times because he accused me of being some kind of mutie mind defective. I thought it was more likely than he was kidding, but you never know."
She winced.
"Sorry," he said, after a moment.
"There is no way you are defective, Xav," she said, gently, twining their fingers together, "I imagine it might feel that way if you think differently, but you have to know that you are the island of sensibility on a great ocean of madness, not the other way around."
He looked up at the mountains, hoping for -- he didn't even know what. For peace, maybe. For Barrayar. To be a good galactic neighbor. For Yuri to be the Yuri that had, once, jumped into the water and rescued him from a sea snake, even as he scolded him from getting bitten. Even though Yuri had thrown him in.
Seemed unlikely, with the news he read.
She wrapped her body around his, putting her face in his neck and giving him another kiss. "And," she added, clearly sensing his moping, "Also the most attractive. Come inside."
He allowed himself to be distracted.
As usual these days, Xav was on the patio on his Bonsanklar cottage, looking out at the forest and up the mountainside. It was a beautiful day: not close enough to midsummer to become crowded with tourists around the Emperor's Birthday, well far enough into springtime that the warm sun glittered down on the green trees and the birds all chirped enthusiastic songs.
Despite the beautiful weather, it was rather easy to feel gloomy about things. He had spent his entire life impressing to Yuri that he did not want Barrayar in any way and would reject anyone who sought to make him its ruler; before the occupation and two decades of fighting, he had been more confident Yuri believed him.
Yuri had always had a mean streak, of course, taking things from him and throwing him into Barrayar's various lakes, but as children Yuri had always checked, after, to make sure Xav hadn't drowned. Seven years into Yuri's rule and Xav was not going near any lakes around him. Xav didn't even particularly want to be in Vorbarr Sultana around him.
He went into the city when he was required, of course. Birthdays, political events, diplomatic meetings. Each time Yuri - Mad Yuri, they called him now - stared at him like he was livestock still being fattened. No matter how much he tried to convince any of his children to leave, none of them would.
The truth was he thought more and more about moving to Beta Colony entirely. But look at the mountains - look at his home! He loved the forests and the long plains and great mountains and even, yes, every lake that had involved an involuntary swim and occasionally a mysterious rash.
"Wow," said Emily, wrapping her arms around him, putting a kiss on his neck, and looking up at the mountains, "No matter how long I live here, I still find them breathtaking." She could sense his moodiness, and he was always moody about the same thing. "This is the most beautiful planet. It's so beautiful I sometimes forget the madness of its people. Luckily I seem to have found the only sane Barrayaran."
"No such thing as a sane Vorbarra," he murmured, "Did you know, that before I met you, I thought I was the mad one?" he asked her.
"Well, if the Emperor is your comparison, yes, I could see that."
"Always staring into space, wondering what was out there, if it would ever return. Meanwhile the rest of them were so focused on power. Yuri threatened to kill me a few times because he accused me of being some kind of mutie mind defective. I thought it was more likely than he was kidding, but you never know."
She winced.
"Sorry," he said, after a moment.
"There is no way you are defective, Xav," she said, gently, twining their fingers together, "I imagine it might feel that way if you think differently, but you have to know that you are the island of sensibility on a great ocean of madness, not the other way around."
He looked up at the mountains, hoping for -- he didn't even know what. For peace, maybe. For Barrayar. To be a good galactic neighbor. For Yuri to be the Yuri that had, once, jumped into the water and rescued him from a sea snake, even as he scolded him from getting bitten. Even though Yuri had thrown him in.
Seemed unlikely, with the news he read.
She wrapped her body around his, putting her face in his neck and giving him another kiss. "And," she added, clearly sensing his moping, "Also the most attractive. Come inside."
He allowed himself to be distracted.