// May the road rise up to meet you //
"... I see." Despite what Thalassa might think, Maea took her very seriously. Enough to eliminate distraction from the surroundings, ensuring that there would be no interruptions. Even if Vi grew a rose out of her very floor it would have to wait for the picking until her friend had concluded her business here. Which could either take a while, or be a very short visit indeed, if the flaring temper was anything to judge by.
Perhaps it would have been better if she still had it in herself to get angry in response. But she did not. Like rocks thrown into the Black Lake the accusations rippled the surface in a light frown, only to sink like lead weights to settle at the bottom of her, cold and tired and inescapable. Not that she had tried to deny any of them, but it was quite true that she preferred to talk as little about the incidents as possible.
"First thing's first. Yes, I will tell you everything, since you are asking me to. I didn't before because you seemed disinterested, and I wanted to respect your wish to stay out of our problems.
"Secondly – I hope we can keep the tone of this conversation down, please? I see that you're angry and I respect that, but I can't answer your questions if it devolves into shouting. If it does, I will ask to pause until we can both think clearly again. Can you accept that?" The offer for the chair still stood, and even if Thalassa declined it in favor of looming or pacing, Maea sat in hers with no intention of going anywhere. No matter how uncomfortable she really was; and rubbing away the icy numbness of her fingers would have been a dead giveaway if the carefully measured count of her breath went unnoticed.
Perhaps it would have been better if she still had it in herself to get angry in response. But she did not. Like rocks thrown into the Black Lake the accusations rippled the surface in a light frown, only to sink like lead weights to settle at the bottom of her, cold and tired and inescapable. Not that she had tried to deny any of them, but it was quite true that she preferred to talk as little about the incidents as possible.
"First thing's first. Yes, I will tell you everything, since you are asking me to. I didn't before because you seemed disinterested, and I wanted to respect your wish to stay out of our problems.
"Secondly – I hope we can keep the tone of this conversation down, please? I see that you're angry and I respect that, but I can't answer your questions if it devolves into shouting. If it does, I will ask to pause until we can both think clearly again. Can you accept that?" The offer for the chair still stood, and even if Thalassa declined it in favor of looming or pacing, Maea sat in hers with no intention of going anywhere. No matter how uncomfortable she really was; and rubbing away the icy numbness of her fingers would have been a dead giveaway if the carefully measured count of her breath went unnoticed.
Maea
// May the wind be at your back //
