"I'm glad you're doing better now," Juniper says with a kind smile. She follows Aurelia, her wings making it unnecessary for her to pick her way through the uncertain ground, and sits down beside the Fireheart, not too close, not too distant. As Aurelia speaks of leadership, Juniper nods, thoughtful. Juniper had become a leader of the Greatwood to serve her people, not for self-improvement, but to say so feels like an accusation -- and Juniper doesn't wish to judge Aurelia's motives. As a diplomat, Juniper's desire is to understand, to see someone else's point of view, not to tell them her own. "You thought it would make you a better person -- were you not happy with who you were? I mean, if you don't mind talking about it."
Listening to Aurelia's words about Safrin, Juniper again catches that edge of self-doubt: I could make up for what I was before, as if Aurelia had to atone for her previous existence. And perhaps she did -- Juniper had no idea who Aurelia had been before Caido; she could have been a murderer, a monster. But again, Juniper seeks to understand and sympathize rather than attack. "I know it's hard to be an Outlander, to be ripped from everything you've ever known. My people and my home mean so much to me -- I can't imagine having to start over without them."
For a moment Juniper falls silent, facing a traitorous thought: there is a certain appeal to the idea of having her life so abruptly, forcefully simplified, to being snatched away from all her worries and responsibilities. It's not something she would ever choose for herself -- or impose on someone else -- but perhaps that's what Aurelia means. "That said ... I don't know what you've been through, but I can understand reinventing yourself." After all, Juniper had gone from pariah to leader in just a couple years -- even if certain Fae still looked askance at her, still whispered behind her back. "Whatever you've left behind, I'm glad to hear that you've found a home here, too."
Juniper nods at Aurelia's description of Safrin; she can see how Safrin's high standards would make her regard more valuable, more meaningful. Though Juniper notes again how Aurelia seems to feel the need to earn respect rather than have it accorded to her. But she doesn't comment on this, instead saying, "I know Safrin's favor is to be treasured, though ... I fear I, and the Fae in general, have already disappointed her too often. To be honest, I've never visited a shrine for personal reasons, only on behalf of my people. There's ... not really anything I wish to request for myself."
An ironic smile crosses Juniper's face. "Not that I wish to boast of being selfless or anything. Unfortunately, my heart's desires are ones that the gods cannot" -- or, in truth, will not -- "grant."
Listening to Aurelia's words about Safrin, Juniper again catches that edge of self-doubt: I could make up for what I was before, as if Aurelia had to atone for her previous existence. And perhaps she did -- Juniper had no idea who Aurelia had been before Caido; she could have been a murderer, a monster. But again, Juniper seeks to understand and sympathize rather than attack. "I know it's hard to be an Outlander, to be ripped from everything you've ever known. My people and my home mean so much to me -- I can't imagine having to start over without them."
For a moment Juniper falls silent, facing a traitorous thought: there is a certain appeal to the idea of having her life so abruptly, forcefully simplified, to being snatched away from all her worries and responsibilities. It's not something she would ever choose for herself -- or impose on someone else -- but perhaps that's what Aurelia means. "That said ... I don't know what you've been through, but I can understand reinventing yourself." After all, Juniper had gone from pariah to leader in just a couple years -- even if certain Fae still looked askance at her, still whispered behind her back. "Whatever you've left behind, I'm glad to hear that you've found a home here, too."
Juniper nods at Aurelia's description of Safrin; she can see how Safrin's high standards would make her regard more valuable, more meaningful. Though Juniper notes again how Aurelia seems to feel the need to earn respect rather than have it accorded to her. But she doesn't comment on this, instead saying, "I know Safrin's favor is to be treasured, though ... I fear I, and the Fae in general, have already disappointed her too often. To be honest, I've never visited a shrine for personal reasons, only on behalf of my people. There's ... not really anything I wish to request for myself."
An ironic smile crosses Juniper's face. "Not that I wish to boast of being selfless or anything. Unfortunately, my heart's desires are ones that the gods cannot" -- or, in truth, will not -- "grant."
Juniper
"art nouveau winged fairy" by e³°°° is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit here
