LOREN
Loren wasn’t going to fight Wessex on the distribution of healers. And he was glad to hear that Ronin might be capable of communicating between locations; even if the summoner didn’t want to speak to the king, just knowing they could get in touch in case of emergencies would be helpful, though they should still probably test it. However, as Deimos and the queen talked about what do with Roana’s children, and the ex-captain herself, the Launceleyn paused in his note-taking. A spark of anger had kindled within him, and for the first time this whole meeting an expression crossed his face.
It wasn’t a pretty one.
The queen probably should’ve predicted his reaction to her comments, and if she hadn’t, well, she wasn’t nearly as wise or as competent as he’d thought. ”The children are innocent. We should do what is best for them, not what is most convenient for us.” His words came out short and clipped, and he stared at the queen, an unforgiving look in his eyes. He had one line that he’d asked her not to cross, and she’d already broken that promise once in the past: don’t threaten or harm children. And now she was proving just a little too eager and willing to peek over that cliff and dip a toe in those dangerous waters again, and the Launceleyn wasn’t in the mood for her political considerations or her concerns.
There was a right thing to do here, and who fucking cared if it was the harder course. ”We’re already ripping them away from their mother. Let’s not rip them away from their aunt as well. We can always build a more secure jail regardless of where Roana ends up if we absolutely have to.” Wessex was worried about Phoebe’s reaction, but maybe, just maybe she should’ve been a bit more worried about the summoner’s, because if she persisted in taking the easy course at the expense of innocents, especially children, he would do what he thought was necessary. Too fucking bad about his annoying little conscience. At least he had one. And he'd given her a fair warning about where he stood.
As for putting the ex-captain in actual jail, that was probably a joke. However, Loren didn’t think it was a funny one, and he wasn’t willing to take that chance. ”If you want to make a martyr out of her or make it harder to make a case against her in the end, sure, put her in prison. But I’m not going to help you arrest her if that’s the plan. Both because I think it's morally wrong and because it’s just going to breed even more resentment.” Turns out his pesky code was rearing its ugly head again. Maybe he sucked as a soldier because he wouldn’t just follow the queen’s orders blindly, but if she was going to keep giving out such dumb orders he’d be a fool to go down with her. They were trying to ease tensions between the Ascended and the rest of the Hollowed Grounds, and leaving Roana to fend for herself during LongNight at the direct orders of the Ascended Queen would have the complete opposite effect, and that wasn’t even getting into the possibility of her death. Even if the ethical concerns didn’t move Wessex, maybe the practical ones would.
It wasn’t a pretty one.
The queen probably should’ve predicted his reaction to her comments, and if she hadn’t, well, she wasn’t nearly as wise or as competent as he’d thought. ”The children are innocent. We should do what is best for them, not what is most convenient for us.” His words came out short and clipped, and he stared at the queen, an unforgiving look in his eyes. He had one line that he’d asked her not to cross, and she’d already broken that promise once in the past: don’t threaten or harm children. And now she was proving just a little too eager and willing to peek over that cliff and dip a toe in those dangerous waters again, and the Launceleyn wasn’t in the mood for her political considerations or her concerns.
There was a right thing to do here, and who fucking cared if it was the harder course. ”We’re already ripping them away from their mother. Let’s not rip them away from their aunt as well. We can always build a more secure jail regardless of where Roana ends up if we absolutely have to.” Wessex was worried about Phoebe’s reaction, but maybe, just maybe she should’ve been a bit more worried about the summoner’s, because if she persisted in taking the easy course at the expense of innocents, especially children, he would do what he thought was necessary. Too fucking bad about his annoying little conscience. At least he had one. And he'd given her a fair warning about where he stood.
As for putting the ex-captain in actual jail, that was probably a joke. However, Loren didn’t think it was a funny one, and he wasn’t willing to take that chance. ”If you want to make a martyr out of her or make it harder to make a case against her in the end, sure, put her in prison. But I’m not going to help you arrest her if that’s the plan. Both because I think it's morally wrong and because it’s just going to breed even more resentment.” Turns out his pesky code was rearing its ugly head again. Maybe he sucked as a soldier because he wouldn’t just follow the queen’s orders blindly, but if she was going to keep giving out such dumb orders he’d be a fool to go down with her. They were trying to ease tensions between the Ascended and the rest of the Hollowed Grounds, and leaving Roana to fend for herself during LongNight at the direct orders of the Ascended Queen would have the complete opposite effect, and that wasn’t even getting into the possibility of her death. Even if the ethical concerns didn’t move Wessex, maybe the practical ones would.
But don’t be weary if it’s broken
Families are like that—
they’re split up and always torn.
