JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
Juniper's own eyebrows drew together as Alina spoke. Her scowl wasn't nearly as intimidating as Alina's, and after a moment she tried to force it to smooth out, speaking with ironic understatement: "That will make things difficult."but it's the easiest thing to do
She hadn't gotten all the news from other lands -- which meant she'd been somewhat failing at her job, Juniper realized -- but she had heard something about Wessex becoming queen of the Grounds again. It was, indeed, a problem.
"But that will only give her more resources to throw at us should it come to open war," Juniper said, mostly to herself. "We have to try to undermine her ... I have to try to undermine her."
She turned her attention back to Alina, looking at the huntress -- at her queen -- with new understanding. Juniper imagined Alina must feel rather embattled, trying to hold the Greatwood with Wessex's Grounds looming over them from the south. "I, too, will defend the Greatwood with my life if necessary. Though I wouldn't mind going on the offensive either ... but with words instead of weapons, for now. I wanted to try to speak to the leaders of the other lands, to try to convince them to hold the Ascended accountable for their attacks on us -- I'll leave the Wraith out of it for now, because I can imagine what answer I'd get from her. But I don't want to do something like that, to make claims and promises in the Fae's name, without your permission. May I speak for us?"
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
