He did see the position Sam was in. Thanks to the Voice's blight he knew exactly what it was to feel like a hostage in his own body. Put that way - with Sam as a frightened captive rather than a willing participant, he could feel a great deal more sympathy towards what his friend was going through.
Except, of course, that everything Sam had said and done before this had indicated otherwise... and he seemed to truly believe that the goddess that had tried to kill his friends – or at least, had been willing to let them die by her hand - had 'good' intentions.
"Remi and I both had people we cared deeply for nearly die, Sam," Jigano said, his voice deceptively soft though the growl still underlay it. "I nearly died, sacrificed to your goddess's ambitions. Worse than death, she would have seen our souls held captive, our minds twisted, and our bodies used to attack the people we loved most..." His eyes widened a fraction as he looked at his friend in dawning connection. Sam had been asked to kill for her as well… and had done so before, placing the goddess’s freedom above even the soul of his beloved mentor. Something the bookmaker seemed to have forgotten… or been made to forget.
”Of course she’s kind and patient with you,” he said, the growl fading to despair. ”You do all that she asks of you without question or concern for consequences, and then even in your guilt you make her excuses for her so that she does not even have to justify the pain she has caused you. Don’t you see? In the same breath you tell me that she controls your mind and body you also say you don’t doubt her. If her intentions are so good, then why does she keep you on such a short leash?” He looked down to the crushed snow moss in his hands and sighed, dropping it back in the bag and reaching in to grab a fresh handful before going to work on the windows.
”If you could go to the Old Gods… if there was a way to become un-Ascended… would you take it?” The words were low, twisting in his gut as he considered the price such a transformation might come at… at how dismissive Ludo was of his ties to the Ascended and Abandoned in his life… at the punishment the gods could meet out for his meddling and his temerity…
But for Sam, not quite family but far more than a friend, he would be willing to try.
Except, of course, that everything Sam had said and done before this had indicated otherwise... and he seemed to truly believe that the goddess that had tried to kill his friends – or at least, had been willing to let them die by her hand - had 'good' intentions.
"Remi and I both had people we cared deeply for nearly die, Sam," Jigano said, his voice deceptively soft though the growl still underlay it. "I nearly died, sacrificed to your goddess's ambitions. Worse than death, she would have seen our souls held captive, our minds twisted, and our bodies used to attack the people we loved most..." His eyes widened a fraction as he looked at his friend in dawning connection. Sam had been asked to kill for her as well… and had done so before, placing the goddess’s freedom above even the soul of his beloved mentor. Something the bookmaker seemed to have forgotten… or been made to forget.
”Of course she’s kind and patient with you,” he said, the growl fading to despair. ”You do all that she asks of you without question or concern for consequences, and then even in your guilt you make her excuses for her so that she does not even have to justify the pain she has caused you. Don’t you see? In the same breath you tell me that she controls your mind and body you also say you don’t doubt her. If her intentions are so good, then why does she keep you on such a short leash?” He looked down to the crushed snow moss in his hands and sighed, dropping it back in the bag and reaching in to grab a fresh handful before going to work on the windows.
”If you could go to the Old Gods… if there was a way to become un-Ascended… would you take it?” The words were low, twisting in his gut as he considered the price such a transformation might come at… at how dismissive Ludo was of his ties to the Ascended and Abandoned in his life… at the punishment the gods could meet out for his meddling and his temerity…
But for Sam, not quite family but far more than a friend, he would be willing to try.
