Jigano couldn't help but snort his amusement at Loren's 'confession,' letting a bit more truth slip through. "Wessex doesn't like most Outlanders, if that's any consolation." His voice held dry humor rather than condemnation on that point; he didn't blame her for that part of her personality. It was the other ones that got under his skin like a flensing blade.
"Ah, I helped quite a few friends prepare various places last year," he explained belatedly, Loren's comment disproving his light-hearted joke about his own reputations. "No one asked me who I was staying with, though, and everyone assumed that since I had helped with their home or shelter, that I'd be staying with them. Foolish Outlander that I was - still am, really - I cut the last hour of the last day a bit too fine with some last-minute food-gathering and ended up too far away from the Settlement to get back to any of them in time. Ended up in a barn for the first few 'days' of the week." Miserable, terrified, listening to the monsters scratch at the sides of the barn and howl for his blood and sanity, saved only by the luxere herd that had taken up station in Rory's yard. He had no intention of repeating that mistake again!
He listened thoughtfully to the answer to his own question, hearing the conflict in Loren's voice and humming softly as he helped unroll the carpet in the corner. He took time to consider his answer, though he suspected Loren wouldn't like what he had to say. He rose to crack his back and rotate his shoulders while Loren gave his golems whatever directions they needed. "It's LongNight and you're a healer. You'll be needed everywhere," he said at last, looking at Loren soberly. "There is the chance - a very good one - that no matter where you go, your abilities will be needed both there and at the place that you are not. You probably have the most difficult choice of anyone this year." He gave the mage a tight smile, sympathetic and humorless. "Those at the Guild will be most at risk... but also know the consequences of what we will be doing, and are prepared to face them. Those at the Temple will be the ones most in need of protection, with most of the warriors at the Guild, but if all goes well - and it never does on LongNight - they shouldn't need to open any doors and will be the safest."
He paused, grimacing as memories of the previous year struck. "Then again, they said that last year, too, and the doors were opened at least half a dozen times. One of which involved saving Rory and I. Another time the doors opened, they saved Edy and Amalia. But then there were the times the door opened and people were yanked out into the dark and killed before the door could be shut again. So." He shook his head regretfully. "Even with Wessex to try and control things, it may not go as smoothly as she wants. There are no easy answers, I'm afraid."
"Ah, I helped quite a few friends prepare various places last year," he explained belatedly, Loren's comment disproving his light-hearted joke about his own reputations. "No one asked me who I was staying with, though, and everyone assumed that since I had helped with their home or shelter, that I'd be staying with them. Foolish Outlander that I was - still am, really - I cut the last hour of the last day a bit too fine with some last-minute food-gathering and ended up too far away from the Settlement to get back to any of them in time. Ended up in a barn for the first few 'days' of the week." Miserable, terrified, listening to the monsters scratch at the sides of the barn and howl for his blood and sanity, saved only by the luxere herd that had taken up station in Rory's yard. He had no intention of repeating that mistake again!
He listened thoughtfully to the answer to his own question, hearing the conflict in Loren's voice and humming softly as he helped unroll the carpet in the corner. He took time to consider his answer, though he suspected Loren wouldn't like what he had to say. He rose to crack his back and rotate his shoulders while Loren gave his golems whatever directions they needed. "It's LongNight and you're a healer. You'll be needed everywhere," he said at last, looking at Loren soberly. "There is the chance - a very good one - that no matter where you go, your abilities will be needed both there and at the place that you are not. You probably have the most difficult choice of anyone this year." He gave the mage a tight smile, sympathetic and humorless. "Those at the Guild will be most at risk... but also know the consequences of what we will be doing, and are prepared to face them. Those at the Temple will be the ones most in need of protection, with most of the warriors at the Guild, but if all goes well - and it never does on LongNight - they shouldn't need to open any doors and will be the safest."
He paused, grimacing as memories of the previous year struck. "Then again, they said that last year, too, and the doors were opened at least half a dozen times. One of which involved saving Rory and I. Another time the doors opened, they saved Edy and Amalia. But then there were the times the door opened and people were yanked out into the dark and killed before the door could be shut again. So." He shook his head regretfully. "Even with Wessex to try and control things, it may not go as smoothly as she wants. There are no easy answers, I'm afraid."
