Once Jigano might have smiled and said something along the lines of 'lovers' quarrels' but that time was seasons past now, and he only gave a regretful shake of his head, remembering their own emotional words at the wedding. "I would listen, if it would help you to share what happened," he said gently instead. "But I don't mean to pry if you'd rather keep it private." Curious as ten cats he could be, but some things were difficult to talk about, and if Sam didn't want to share the problems between himself and his alchemist friend, Jigano would try not to push that line.
They might find themselves back in the basement, amidst the rubble and fallen stones again soon, but for the moment the path of least resistance led upwards, and Jigano nodded with a bit of relief. They had all gone running up to the top of the Spire before 108 had freed the Core and nothing had stopped them then, so it seemed like it would be somewhat safer... if the instability at the base of the Spire didn't cause problems higher up. "Perhaps there is nothing there now, but it doesn't hurt to check," he quipped with a wan smile. Sam's offer of support was endearing and, with the tremble that had settled into his bones and the chill of his skin the bard found himself willing to accept, giving his friend a grateful nod. "We'll go slow anyways, so we can check the walls for anything we might have missed before. No need to exhaust ourselves." Or at least, exhaust himself. Sam would likely be fine, with night providing the strength and vitality that gave Ascendeds such an edge in the dark.
Their path back up was faster, since they had already checked this section of the obelisk. Once they reached the ground, however, Jigano slowed, taking his time to examine the stone (?) of the walls as they climbed at a more sedate pace. "Mmm. I suppose you were still out of town for a bit when Edy took over as Queen," he mused, wincing away from the memories of that too-recent time. "There was a group of people who had been forming a resistance to Zariah's rule. Naturals and Outlanders alike had been hoping to set Ronin up as a leader in opposition to her. But then she disappeared and left Edy in charge... something Edy wasn't crazy about." His voice caught on the memory of his friend, devoured in the blink of an eye. "She... I went to see her, about having my arrest warrant removed but instead... she wanted to make me king alongside her." He swallowed hard, for that was the last time he had seen her alive when they had been bantering and friendly, even if it had been tinged with wariness on his part. "I accepted, asking that Ronin join us. I thought..." he trailed off, shaking his head as his fingers traced over the black substance of the Spire. "It doesn't matter now. Something went wrong when Edy went to ask Ronin to join us. Word got out that I had been made king, and everyone was... 'pissed' is too mild a word. They treated me like a traitor, and when I tried to abdicate and give the crown to Ronin outright, they only got angrier." Bitterness tinged his voice, and a simmering anger that was uncharacteristic for the bard. "Remi... didn't say it aloud, but his eyes spoke volumes. He and I have never been friends. But now..." Jigano sighed, shaking his head. "I just... I don't know what to do, Sam," he admitted more softly. "Everyone thinks I made a mistake. A big one. And if I knew then what I know now, of course I wouldn't make the same decisions. But at the time I didn't know. I made the best decision I could with the information that I had. And no one sees that. All they want to do is yell at me and tell me how they would have handled it better."
It felt good to get the words out to someone who hadn't been there, though he still stole a cautious glance at his friend, worried that Sam might judge him, too, for trying to help his friends when all he achieved in the end was harsh words and wounded feelings.
They might find themselves back in the basement, amidst the rubble and fallen stones again soon, but for the moment the path of least resistance led upwards, and Jigano nodded with a bit of relief. They had all gone running up to the top of the Spire before 108 had freed the Core and nothing had stopped them then, so it seemed like it would be somewhat safer... if the instability at the base of the Spire didn't cause problems higher up. "Perhaps there is nothing there now, but it doesn't hurt to check," he quipped with a wan smile. Sam's offer of support was endearing and, with the tremble that had settled into his bones and the chill of his skin the bard found himself willing to accept, giving his friend a grateful nod. "We'll go slow anyways, so we can check the walls for anything we might have missed before. No need to exhaust ourselves." Or at least, exhaust himself. Sam would likely be fine, with night providing the strength and vitality that gave Ascendeds such an edge in the dark.
Their path back up was faster, since they had already checked this section of the obelisk. Once they reached the ground, however, Jigano slowed, taking his time to examine the stone (?) of the walls as they climbed at a more sedate pace. "Mmm. I suppose you were still out of town for a bit when Edy took over as Queen," he mused, wincing away from the memories of that too-recent time. "There was a group of people who had been forming a resistance to Zariah's rule. Naturals and Outlanders alike had been hoping to set Ronin up as a leader in opposition to her. But then she disappeared and left Edy in charge... something Edy wasn't crazy about." His voice caught on the memory of his friend, devoured in the blink of an eye. "She... I went to see her, about having my arrest warrant removed but instead... she wanted to make me king alongside her." He swallowed hard, for that was the last time he had seen her alive when they had been bantering and friendly, even if it had been tinged with wariness on his part. "I accepted, asking that Ronin join us. I thought..." he trailed off, shaking his head as his fingers traced over the black substance of the Spire. "It doesn't matter now. Something went wrong when Edy went to ask Ronin to join us. Word got out that I had been made king, and everyone was... 'pissed' is too mild a word. They treated me like a traitor, and when I tried to abdicate and give the crown to Ronin outright, they only got angrier." Bitterness tinged his voice, and a simmering anger that was uncharacteristic for the bard. "Remi... didn't say it aloud, but his eyes spoke volumes. He and I have never been friends. But now..." Jigano sighed, shaking his head. "I just... I don't know what to do, Sam," he admitted more softly. "Everyone thinks I made a mistake. A big one. And if I knew then what I know now, of course I wouldn't make the same decisions. But at the time I didn't know. I made the best decision I could with the information that I had. And no one sees that. All they want to do is yell at me and tell me how they would have handled it better."
It felt good to get the words out to someone who hadn't been there, though he still stole a cautious glance at his friend, worried that Sam might judge him, too, for trying to help his friends when all he achieved in the end was harsh words and wounded feelings.
