[PQ] Solid Foundations

RORY

He was tired in a way that he wasn't used to, tense and drawn-out and thin, like whatever stuff made him Rory was breaking apart inside of him. His eyes burned with the same dry fire as it had ever since he sparked the damn mob, blue and shadows mixing in a way that was decidedly foreign on his face. It was like his body had been broken up, and someone else found beneath his skin.

Also, what was Ludo doing, giving away all its things? First the lantern, then the mask, now the rags... Rory frowned slightly, but said nothing about it, just waited with folded arms and an expression that wasn't exactly friendly.

He felt the dark sting of bitterness prick his heart. Ludo had answered her prayers. Safrin had given Ronin weapons to take down the Demon. Gods and gods and gods everywhere, except when he asked for them—except when they really needed them, needed their guidance, their wisdom. If this change was coming, and if the Gods were fueling it, couldn't they just have fucking said so and Rory would've stepped aside, to let whatever suicidal idiots came along swarm the Spire?

But no, they were silent to him and the mob, and he had made a choice.

She had a point, he had to give her that, much as thinking about it made his head hurt—like claws raking through his brain. He didn't want to think of an outside world, wanted to snarl, if we're not here to decide about the Spire, then what am I doing here?, wanted to find some way to postpone this—all of this.

Sam's comment was expected, Evie's snapping too, but her support of Maea had Rory's hackles rising slightly. What was going on here? His blue eyes, questioning, sought for hers. She must've made some calculation.. and found Maea's side weighing the heaviest.

Not what he would have preferred, but okay. Fair enough. There was merit in that.

Then Roana added her butter to the mix and Rory groaned inwardly. No, Maea was a shit choice, exactly for those reasons, because it wasn't all that the Steadman woman was making it out to be. What she saw in points in Maea's favor were born of the opposite, really. And as the glance was thrown his way he arched an eyebrow. Him, personal opinions and differences? Mmh, did she know what being outnumbered signified?

Before he had a chance to respond though, Vai stepped through the door, as if the rest of them were unruly children or something. He watched her with a level gaze, then sighed. "We have been welcoming," he said tiredly. "We have given our help, our houses. We have shared our resources, though they are meager. We have warned you and taken care of you and taught you, we have helped you establish businesses, we have helped you fix up homes, have gladly come to the Rathskeller, just happy someone runs it again." No: this place was not taken. It was hollow and starved and starving.

He shook his head and looked at Maea instead, not wanting to point out how they lacked an Attuned. Did she even know Jigano was one? Rory was under the impression he was rather selective with who he told.. but he hadn't asked. "Maea is a bad choice for many reasons. She's different-looking, she can't perform a day's hard work, she's Abandoned, she's been secluded, living on her brother's farm, some even say on his charity," he explained; his voice was factual and even, lacking the judgment of before. "It doesn't say much about whatever goes on in her head, but you'll have a hard time convincing the people here to respect and follow her on her merits alone." He didn't want to debate protection from outside forces when every fiber of his being was trying to prevent that coming to pass, at least until enough of them had calmed down and stopped chomping at the bits to be let out of the gate.

as if you were on fire from within,
the moon lives in the lining of your skin.