”There are systems in place,” he informed her, voice still mild as if they were having a chat at the bar rather than a confrontation in front of the Notice Board. ”Or so I have been told by those that have lived here longer than either of us.” Amalia had told him of them when they had been putting out the fire in the forest. They weren’t perfect, or even ideal, but they existed, at least. Which Zariah might have known if she’d actually gotten out into the community before this blatant grab for power. He could remember seeing her at Remi’s magical test of the barrier, and at the Spire… and hardly ever outside of that.
”Didn’t you?” he asked, raising a brow and continuing the conversation as he felt those behind him beginning to slip away. Amalia and Deimos, along with Kiada were hustled off, though he made no outward sign of having heard Amalia’s message. ”I must have missed the part of the story where you stopped living behind a Wall, hiding from the world around you.” He shrugged lightly, a storyteller always ready to hear the next chapter of a new tale. ”Regardless, a good leader knows when reckless impatience could result in unnecessary loss of life, and when waiting a few more weeks or months could save lives. Both Roana and Zariah—“ And Wessex, he added silently, ”showed an unsettling lack of understanding of that principle. Which makes it difficult to think your cousin is going to be any more likely to respect the lives of any other barrierfolk… and not spend them like coppers to buy herself a selfish bid for even more power.” His tone was dry, but he still gave the fiery girl a courteous bow.
Ronin and Remi made their quiet exits as well, until none were left, of those that mattered to him. Well, maybe Bastien, he supposed – for Rexanna’s sake. But he was hopefully unlikely to spark a fight if left unattended. ”But I am relieved to hear that you aren’t the same as her, my friend. It gives this old man more hope than you know.” He offered the slender firemage a wry smile, acknowledging that though they weren’t in accord, neither was she his enemy.
Yet. And, gods least fortunate, he hoped it didn’t come to that.
”But I think it’s time for this granther’s afternoon nap. You know how cranky I get if I don’t get my naps,” he chuckled, before giving her a jaunty wave and striding away, whistling softly to himself with an actor’s fine display of nonchalance hiding the turmoil that twisted within.
{Jigano exeunt, stage left}
”Didn’t you?” he asked, raising a brow and continuing the conversation as he felt those behind him beginning to slip away. Amalia and Deimos, along with Kiada were hustled off, though he made no outward sign of having heard Amalia’s message. ”I must have missed the part of the story where you stopped living behind a Wall, hiding from the world around you.” He shrugged lightly, a storyteller always ready to hear the next chapter of a new tale. ”Regardless, a good leader knows when reckless impatience could result in unnecessary loss of life, and when waiting a few more weeks or months could save lives. Both Roana and Zariah—“ And Wessex, he added silently, ”showed an unsettling lack of understanding of that principle. Which makes it difficult to think your cousin is going to be any more likely to respect the lives of any other barrierfolk… and not spend them like coppers to buy herself a selfish bid for even more power.” His tone was dry, but he still gave the fiery girl a courteous bow.
Ronin and Remi made their quiet exits as well, until none were left, of those that mattered to him. Well, maybe Bastien, he supposed – for Rexanna’s sake. But he was hopefully unlikely to spark a fight if left unattended. ”But I am relieved to hear that you aren’t the same as her, my friend. It gives this old man more hope than you know.” He offered the slender firemage a wry smile, acknowledging that though they weren’t in accord, neither was she his enemy.
Yet. And, gods least fortunate, he hoped it didn’t come to that.
”But I think it’s time for this granther’s afternoon nap. You know how cranky I get if I don’t get my naps,” he chuckled, before giving her a jaunty wave and striding away, whistling softly to himself with an actor’s fine display of nonchalance hiding the turmoil that twisted within.
{Jigano exeunt, stage left}
