Juniper's eyes flash at Nate's description of the attack on the Fae, but she forces herself not to voice the spark of anger his words kindle in her chest, and after a moment it dies down enough for her to speak calmly. "To open that portal, they destroyed the Mathair -- our goddess -- and killed her guards. Even if those deaths, that destruction, was only a means to an end ... You, or rather the Ascended there" -- she knew Nate had not been among the Fae's attackers, and had no idea whether he'd even been Ascended at the time -- "may not have conceived of yourself as invaders, but that was what they became when they refused to respect the Fae's sovereignty over our home."
But Nate's next words brought Juniper back to sympathy. She shook her head. "No. I can't imagine what that's like."
She could have said that Nate had brought it on himself, by choosing to become Ascended, but she knew that people had their reasons -- and she didn't believe that they deserved to die for such a choice. But here she was, on the precipice of a war of extermination regardless.
"I don't believe the Old Gods' persecution of the Ascended is justified," Juniper said, very quietly, almost hoping that Nate wouldn't hear her. "But my loyalty lies with my home and my people."
But Nate's next words brought Juniper back to sympathy. She shook her head. "No. I can't imagine what that's like."
She could have said that Nate had brought it on himself, by choosing to become Ascended, but she knew that people had their reasons -- and she didn't believe that they deserved to die for such a choice. But here she was, on the precipice of a war of extermination regardless.
"I don't believe the Old Gods' persecution of the Ascended is justified," Juniper said, very quietly, almost hoping that Nate wouldn't hear her. "But my loyalty lies with my home and my people."
Juniper
"art nouveau winged fairy" by e³°°° is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit here
