JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
Juniper noticed Sam staring, but she didn't say anything: it made sense that he would find her just as strange as she found him, or more so. Sam looked like any other outsider, after all, few outward signs of his Ascended nature, while Juniper's wings marked her as indelibly Fae, always apart from the other people of Caido. She'd felt like a bit of an outsider in the Greatwood all her life, being shunned for her grandfather's sins, but she felt even more different beyond it.but it's the easiest thing to do
Returning to the matter at hand, she felt glad that Sam had thought of a place for the conversation to start, though she couldn't give him the easy answer that he probably wanted -- there would be no easy answers in this conversation. Just slow, grueling progress, if they were lucky.
"I'm not sure what the Ascended could do ... Certainly my people would not take kindly to any suggestion that we need charity, or that some action could 'make up for' the loss of the Mathair." Except, perhaps, bringing the Mathair back. Could the Ascended help with that? Probably not: even if they wanted to, Juniper doubted the Mathair would want to see the people who had attacker her. And it would probably be best not to even mention the possibility of restoring the Mathair to Samuel, because that could be tactically significant information, if they went to war. "But I don't think that's what you mean ... I suggested placing the Mathair's attackers -- including yourself -- on trial as a means of settling scores between our peoples, but I can't honestly say that I'm sure it would help."
She sighed, a bit sad to admit that her plan might not have worked even if put into action. And maybe it still could be put into action -- she didn't want to abandon it entirely, being more stubborn than that, but it also didn't seem like the right hill to die on with war looming. "I hoped that some kind of justice would set my people's grievances to rest, but I know better than anyone that we hold grudges."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
