He wasn’t quite sure where Kiada was going with the weird segue, or the history comment, but he bit his lip against asking what she meant. He’d been getting the sense that most of the Ancients were born or non-Ascended before they’d changed, but she and Maea seemed to have different perspectives on things based on where they’d been during the War, and he was trying to see their side of things.
It was hard, though. Glacier gaze met iceberg as Tal shoved his hands into his pockets and listened to Kiada’s reasons. He caught his tongue between his teeth, biting down on it to stop himself from interrupting, though he blinked and gave a little shake of his head at her mention of Tanau, unsure whether he’d heard her correctly. How many times did some people die and tell Mort to fuck off, then…?
Maea’s answer was short and to the point, and he could at least understand it.
But it reminded him that he’d been… well. Overly optimistic, certainly. Pushy, probably. And not doing his cause a whole lot of good, because he’d always been better at pissing people off than not. Not many people could fit both feet in their mouths, after all. It was his one talent, and he wished he wasn’t so damn good at it.
”I… look. I know I’m fuckin' this up, an' I'm sorry for puttin' it all on you at once.” He grimaced and retrieved a hand to scrub the back of his neck. ”I asked th’old gods if they even wanted a shrine here, an’, well… Frey said they wouldn’t bless one unless everyone who lived here agreed to it. Consented to it,” he added, struggling to try and find clarity in the spirit of the quest. ”So I think it’s gotta be… more’n not ‘no.’ An’ more’n lettin’ someone else make th’decision for you.” He took a deep breath, forcing himself to drop his hand. ”What I’m askin’ is… is take some time an’ think about it, at least. An’ if it turns out y’really hate the idea, then… I guess that’ll be that. Either way, if it’s a yes or a no, just… just shoot me a letter an’ let me know. An’ if y’want to ask me any more questions, I’ll come meet wherever y’want.”
It was hard, though. Glacier gaze met iceberg as Tal shoved his hands into his pockets and listened to Kiada’s reasons. He caught his tongue between his teeth, biting down on it to stop himself from interrupting, though he blinked and gave a little shake of his head at her mention of Tanau, unsure whether he’d heard her correctly. How many times did some people die and tell Mort to fuck off, then…?
Maea’s answer was short and to the point, and he could at least understand it.
But it reminded him that he’d been… well. Overly optimistic, certainly. Pushy, probably. And not doing his cause a whole lot of good, because he’d always been better at pissing people off than not. Not many people could fit both feet in their mouths, after all. It was his one talent, and he wished he wasn’t so damn good at it.
”I… look. I know I’m fuckin' this up, an' I'm sorry for puttin' it all on you at once.” He grimaced and retrieved a hand to scrub the back of his neck. ”I asked th’old gods if they even wanted a shrine here, an’, well… Frey said they wouldn’t bless one unless everyone who lived here agreed to it. Consented to it,” he added, struggling to try and find clarity in the spirit of the quest. ”So I think it’s gotta be… more’n not ‘no.’ An’ more’n lettin’ someone else make th’decision for you.” He took a deep breath, forcing himself to drop his hand. ”What I’m askin’ is… is take some time an’ think about it, at least. An’ if it turns out y’really hate the idea, then… I guess that’ll be that. Either way, if it’s a yes or a no, just… just shoot me a letter an’ let me know. An’ if y’want to ask me any more questions, I’ll come meet wherever y’want.”
