JUNIPER
you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do
That was a very good question, one Juniper couldn't immediately answer. She took a longer sip of her drink; she was getting used to the taste now, learning to tolerate it, though she wouldn't say she liked it. Then she decided to be frank -- beyond the simple honesty that her Fae nature demanded. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I imagine their punishment would need to be negotiated between our peoples, with the help of neutral parties, so that we were all satisfied that justice had been done -- or at least found a compromise we could live with."but it's the easiest thing to do
Perhaps it was naive of Juniper to believe that such a compromise even existed. After all, plenty of Fae would not be happy with anything less than the Ascended's lifeblood (or life-fluid). And she doubted the Ascended would be glad to submit to any punishment. But she had to believe there was some way forward short of slaughtering each other, or why had she even bothered to leave the Greatwood?
Although ... if it did come to open slaughter, the Fae's survival might depend on having Halo or Torchline, or both, in their corner.
And Juniper did hold back one thought: that she did believe, personally, that the Ascended who had attacked the Mathair deserved death. She doubted they would take that punishment, doubted the other lands would agree to impose it -- and if she wanted the Fae to accept a lesser punishment, she had to start by doing so herself.
At Deimos' words, Juniper nodded solemnly. "I have heard that news, and I was told that a Fae was the culprit -- and that the Ascended in question had nothing to do with the attack on the Mathair. If that is true -- and I have no particular reason to doubt it, but would require clearer evidence to take severe action -- then the Fae involved should be held responsible for their actions when the Ascended are. Wholesale slaughter is unacceptable on either side."
if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.
