She nodded, but her eyes narrowed. You'd sacrifice yourself for "your people." You mean the same people you called whiny weaklings? Ingrid asked silently. But for once in her life, her opinions didn't reach her tongue, because she didn't want to piss Zariah off more. The lady was blessed by Mort, after all, and level 7.
When Ingrid mentioned Loreseekers, it sent Zariah on a tirade, but all Ingrid could think was: Gods, she laughs like a fucking seagull. Then the mage said something that snatched up her attention.
”...the majority of their members also entered the Spire the day it was breached, including their beloved leader Jigano, each playing a role in the inevitable fall of the barrier.”
As the words spilled from Zariah's lips, they grew from a trickle to a torrent. Splashing syllables filled her up until waves of doubt broke against the walls of Ingrid's skull and threatened to jump newly-constructed levees of trust. Then she remembered his kindness: gifts and knowledge and laughter. He'd spoken well of Safrin, hadn't he? It was enough to avert the flood, and so Ingrid said nothing, her waters calm once more.
By the time Zariah finished scolding her, the jab at the Loreseekers was forgotten (at least for the time being). Ingrid resumed her usual half-baked humor. She doubted any of her jokes would land with the current audience, but Zariah proved unpredictable! This time, the archmage's laugh was human, accompanied by a smile that reached her eyes. Lightning Bitch it is, she thought.
"Alright, lead the way. I'd love to hear about how you plan on making blizzards shit their pants."
Feel free to just move them to the office if you want!
