"The storms..." Jigano repeated, grimacing faintly. The barrier might have fallen but that only meant their cage was larger now. Not without reason, from what Safrin had told him and what he had seen of the Voice himself. It galled him that his friends and family, natural and outlander alike, were punished - that he was punished - for the sins of the ancient Ascended godling, and he had chafed against those restraints no less than the others, even as he did against the current ones. Still, he would not deny that in spite of his best efforts, the Spire had been breached and fallen, and the Ascended released once more into the world.
And now there was a sickness of the woods that had appeared at the same time... Coincidence?
Unlikely.
He looked up at Arduinna soberly, nodding reluctantly at the fairness of her point. "I cannot promise that we won't," he acknowledged heavily. "This is the first I've heard of this sickness, so I have no idea what its cause is. Conjecture, yes," he admitted, "but without seeing it, it's only a guess. And I sincerely hope I am wrong." He closed his eyes, drawing in a slow breath before looking up at the Wild Fae once more, his smile sad. "I cannot promise recompense from anyone but myself, fair Arduinna, and nothing I have or am could balance such a debt. I wish to help, and I know others who would as well... but your power far surpasses mine, and that of anyone I know, as does your knowledge of these Woods. If you think that a human touch would only make things worse then I will carry your words back to the Settlement, for those willing to listen."
He tilted his head at her, a birdlike gesture as his touch on the strings gentled to a more soothing melody. "I assume the Fae are already researching their own histories for the time from before the barrier was raised. I can at least peruse the records of the human ancestors of those who lived here, as well, to see if I can find a description of any similar sickness, if you would allow it. Perhaps together our combined knowledge will prove more complementary than our previous encounters with the Fae of the Village," he added with a wry smile.
And now there was a sickness of the woods that had appeared at the same time... Coincidence?
Unlikely.
He looked up at Arduinna soberly, nodding reluctantly at the fairness of her point. "I cannot promise that we won't," he acknowledged heavily. "This is the first I've heard of this sickness, so I have no idea what its cause is. Conjecture, yes," he admitted, "but without seeing it, it's only a guess. And I sincerely hope I am wrong." He closed his eyes, drawing in a slow breath before looking up at the Wild Fae once more, his smile sad. "I cannot promise recompense from anyone but myself, fair Arduinna, and nothing I have or am could balance such a debt. I wish to help, and I know others who would as well... but your power far surpasses mine, and that of anyone I know, as does your knowledge of these Woods. If you think that a human touch would only make things worse then I will carry your words back to the Settlement, for those willing to listen."
He tilted his head at her, a birdlike gesture as his touch on the strings gentled to a more soothing melody. "I assume the Fae are already researching their own histories for the time from before the barrier was raised. I can at least peruse the records of the human ancestors of those who lived here, as well, to see if I can find a description of any similar sickness, if you would allow it. Perhaps together our combined knowledge will prove more complementary than our previous encounters with the Fae of the Village," he added with a wry smile.
