back straight, chest out, just like a soldier

SUNJATA

the flood

As far as he can remember he’s avoided the Fae, avoided much of anything to do with them until she’d reached out — because he’d heard the stories and everything written about them. Juniper had dashed that away with her gentleness and her concern for others. And despite Sunjata’s own interactions with the specific Fae that had attacked Nate, Juniper’s assurance that they were on the same side with bringing justice there too was relieving.

He has no reason to doubt her, after all.

As for the all out war, he nods a bit somberly, chews on the inside of his cheek, focuses intently on anything but Juniper as if it might bring too many emotions to the forefront of his mind. “I’m not sure we’ll be so lucky.” He sighs, shaking his head a fraction and shrugging his shoulders.

“It makes it difficult with years upon years of biases. People don’t like to be told they’re wrong, despite given evidence.” He muses with a soft frown, finally peering back at Juniper. “I’m sure you can understand, given the Fae’s own that you’re trying to open them up to.” But it was only one out of the many, and more and more that kept popping up from the woodwork.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper nodded, solemnly, at Sunjata's doubts. As desperate as she felt to prevent war, she knew quite well that it would probably come anyway. Sometimes she felt ready to despair -- what could one small Fae possibly do in the face of the forces grinding against each other in Caido? Being here in the embassy helped with that feeling -- it reminded her that, one small Fae or not, she'd created this place, at least, something tangible. She could do something. "It's ... worth planning for that contingency. But if we don't try to stop the coming war, then we truly have no chance of succeeding. And I do know I'm not the only one seeking to forestall conflict -- I saw a message on the Grounds' Notice Board, recently, trying to promote peace between Old Gods and New. Too bad it was anonymous; I'd like to speak to the author."

With a rueful smile, Juniper nodded again. "For a certain portion of the Fae, my actions in this job have only confirmed the traitorous tendencies they always suspected. Some people are impossible to get through to -- but not everyone, I have to believe. And then it's a matter of ... maneuvering around the impossible people, I suppose."

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

He chews on the inside of his cheek as he mulls over her words some more. His attention is drawn somewhere between her and the rest of the embassy, until of course she mentions that she wishes she knew the author of that particular note. Sunjata thinks he knows, but he also thinks she won’t like the answer. But in the end? Would it be part of the contingency they set in place? He takes a slow inhale, exhales it equally as slow, leveling his steel gaze on Juniper with a soft, apologetic smile. “I think I know who it is.” He begins, pursing his lips briefly. “But you won’t be a fan, I don’t think.” Here he winces lightly, before he’s sitting a bit straighter.

“Samuel wishes to create a faction of sorts, of those that wish to promote peace – that say that peace can be made between the Old Gods and New.” He pauses here, as if he’s trying to pick his words carefully. “I know it isn’t my place and that Sam was part of the group that harmed the Mathair… But, from what I’ve seen the past couple of years, Sam is a good man and only wants to avoid any further conflict.” Perhaps that would be good enough to get a conversation flowing. Or, perhaps like much of his other things, it’ll blow up back in his face. “But I know that in talking to Samuel, it would only add more to the thoughts those Fae have about you will not help.”

His head lifts a bit, his hand reaching up to rub at his chin. “If it was something you wished to consider, I could help be the middleman.” He offers, despite unbeknownst to him that his life would simply begin to fall apart.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

"You do? Why ... ?" Then Juniper lets Sunjata speak, gives him time to finish, and she doesn't need to ask why again. "Ah. Samuel Wordsworth. Yes, that does make things ... more difficult."

She sighed deeply, resisting the urge to let out a broken laugh. Of course the initiative for peace had to come from a man whose execution she sought. Whose previous actions had been anything but peaceful. Who had himself helped spark -- almost literally -- this conflict.

Maybe that was why he was trying for peace now. Juniper knew people could change; she could imagine that Sunjata was correct about Samuel's current intentions, that the Ascended genuinely wanted peace. She also knew that he was the exact wrong person to seek it. Whatever Juniper thought personally -- and she honestly wasn't sure what she thought personally -- she didn't have to tell Sunjara that the Fae would never accept any alliance with Sam as a person, even less than they would accept peace with the Ascended as a whole.

And yet Sunjata offered to help them speak anyway. Juniper thought hard about whether that was a good idea. She didn't want to shut down any avenues for potential peace, but as Sunjata had pointed out, publicly communicating with Sam could cause problems for her among the Fae.

"I ... should write him a letter," Juniper said slowly. It would probably suit both of them better to communicate in writing than to actually meet in person. Safer, physically, and less likely to make their intentions public -- unless the letters were intercepted. Or willingly handed to a third party. "If you could help make sure that our letters reach each other without ... making their sources obvious, that would be helpful."

Perhaps routing missives through Torchline would help hide the fact that Juniper was in contact with an Ascended -- with that particular Ascended.

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

“It does.” He agrees with a slight grimace. But he overcomes it, trying to help explain that he doesn’t believe Sam had particularly wanted to help destroy the Mathair, and that perhaps there'd be some understanding between them. He trusts Sam to want to do the right thing, but he also trusts Juniper, that she’s trying to change the tides. Which leaves him stuck in the middle between it, just as he is with his incredibly deep love for Nate and his association with Safrin.

She agrees, slowly, to write a letter and it perks the Attuned up a fraction, his chin lifting slightly as he regards Juniper. He lets her figure out what she wants to do before he interjects. “Of course.” He agrees swiftly. “It isn’t strange for me to receive your letters, nor is it strange that I receive them from Sam given Nate and all of that.” His hand waves offhandedly. “I can switch up the envelopes they’re in and anyone sending them would simply think it’s normal correspondence.” They’d get his seal, his secrecy in helping both sides search for this peace without the whole world knowing.

He could do that much, easily.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

"Thank you," Juniper said, nodding at Sunjata's plan. It was probably an overabundance of caution, but she would rest easier knowing that it was a little more difficult for anyone to trace her letters to Samuel. Of course, switching the envelopes wouldn't help much if someone got their hands on the actual letter. And she'd have to keep in mind not to put anything in the letters that she didn't want Sunjata to know about, just in case -- she doubted he would read them, but he would certainly have the opportunity. "I don't know what we can do, really, to try to preserve peace -- to create it, even, in ways that it hasn't existed before. But two heads are better than one."

Even if one of those heads was Samuel Wordsworth, someone about whom Juniper still harbored deep doubts, despite Sunjata's words.

"I should ask, perhaps, where Torchline stands," she added, trying to bring the conversation back to Sunjata -- even if that also meant bringing it back to war, instead of discussions of potential peace. "I know you're not eager to go to war, but if it comes to that ... You don't have to answer, of course. It's a big question, and there are a lot of hypotheticals involved."

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

Luckily for Juniper, Sunjata’s life has been one whirlwind of person after person he can’t trust. So when it came to the letters, there is one person he does trust enough to not get them into the wrong hands. And as for himself? His life is about to be quite busy in comparison to him currently. He probably wouldn’t even have the time to snoop on the letters, even if he wanted to.

In reality though he’s sure that Sam and Juniper would spare him all the details if something were to come about from it.

She rounds the conversation back to war, however, and his steel gaze slips back to the Fae woman. There’s a set to his jaw, clenched slightly, that bunches up the scar spanning half of his face. “I’d like to stay as neutral as possible, but, given the fact that I don’t think the gods will allow that… I’m going to go as long as I can before I’m forced to choose.” He sighs. The starry tattoos on his arms should be a decent indicator of where he’ll likely lean, but it does make it difficult. “It is difficult having favor with the Old Gods and married to an Ascended. If I could stay out of it, I would, but in this instance I imagine bargains will likely need to be made.” Not the kind of bargain he will make after this thread, but the kind that means that he won’t harm Nate should war come to pass.

“It seems the Greatwood has already chosen their side, though? Given the demigods stationed here?”

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper nodded at Sunjata's desire to stay neutral -- and at his doubts that he would be permitted to do so. Though his unwilling involvement might be to her side's advantage -- she assumed, from the way he spoke, that he would find himself forced to join the Old Gods and their followers -- she was sorry to see Sunjata, and the land he ruled, dragged into a war they didn't want. She was sorry to see all Caido dragged into a war that it seemed most of them didn't want.

"That does place you in an awkward situation," Juniper agreed, though she notices -- well, she asked him about how Torchline would move, and he answered with his personal struggles. She has a feeling that the coastal land's sailors and smugglers wouldn't all just fall in line with their Governor the moment he picked a side. Still, she said nothing of this to Sunjata; if he took the question as a personal inquiry, that was fine. "I hope you bargain well, and that your family weathers whatever's to come."

If only she could have seen the future ...

Another nod as the conversation turned to the Greatwood. "You could call the attack on the Mathair the first skirmish of the coming war, if you cared to. I suspect some Fae will. If we'd originally entertained any possibility of tolerating the Voice -- of even neutrality -- that attack destroyed it."

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

It most certainly does place him in an awkward position – quite a terrible one, if you ask him. But it’s all that he can seem to think about anymore – the impending war, of sides drawn, of choices that would be made and alliances that would be broken despite his desperate attempts to remain in the middle. The starry tattoos that mark his arms that shift and glimmer to match the Greatwood’s stars are a good example of that.

The rest of it, though? The bargaining? Well, he hums a quiet thank you, how he hopes that it does too. Though future him will look back on this and realize just how stupid it sounded when he’d offered it up in the first place – that bit of information of bargains and what not. So he focuses on the Greatwod and what their plans were, imagining that much like his own there was little any of them could do about it.

He’s correct in that assumption, nodding quietly as he considers her words. “That’s understandable.” He murmurs, despite the fact that he doesn’t like the Greatwood involved in this. He supposes much like Juniper, none of them would get a choice. And the Greatwood Fae were fighters, from what he knew, perhaps that was as good a reason as any to claim vengeance.

Who was he to judge that? After all, hadn’t he just done the same with his father?

“I’m hoping to be able to guide Torchline into a better decision for it, but… Given that the gods were trapped for so long, I’m not sure which way they’d lean. If they’d go for the Old Gods or for the Voice.” He reaches up to run a hand through his hair, chewing on his cheek gently as he considers it. “Perhaps it’ll be a mixed bag like the Greatwood.” To this, a small snort is emitted. “Do you think the Fae’s views on the Ascended might change under the idea of a Trial?” Of the event they had spoken of before. He wonders if it would even be safe for them to travel the boarders after – or even during if they weren’t one of the Ascended directly involved.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper wasn't sure "mixed bag" was an accurate description of the Greatwood -- she doubted a single Fae would side with the Voice when push came to shove, whatever peaceful thoughts or sympathies towards the Ascended they might have, however little they wanted war. Even Juniper herself. She might try to mitigate things, to avoid outright slaughter, but ultimately ... she had to fight for her people, didn't she?

But she didn't contradict Sunjata, instead nodding. "I wonder how Halo will react, too ... But the Warden did swear to defend the Greatwood."

She should speak to Morgan again, Juniper realized, now that tensions were rising. It was one thing to offer mutual defense during peace, another to affirm it as war loomed. Mentally, Juniper added that to her to-do list.

A trial ... Honestly, Juniper had almost lost sight of her original goal, with everything else going on. The fraught political climate seemed to make her idea more and more unrealistic. But she didn't think it was a bad idea, for all that. "I would hope that a trial would ... drive home to my people that not all of the Ascended are responsible for the sins of the Voice. And satisfy some of their desire for vengeance, to weaken the motivation for further violence. I doubt it would make my people much friendlier towards the Ascended -- we certainly wouldn't forget, and I don't know if even forgiveness is in the picture -- but I hope it would help prevent outright war."

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

“It’s hard to tell.” Sunjata offers with a small, weak smile. “I heard the Warden helped the Ascended in their plight to rid the Grounds during LongNight.” His head tilts a fraction as he regards Juniper – looking at her, but not quite. His gaze is far away almost, as if recalling back to that time, about how he would have done the same had Torchline and his mental state not been fracturing apart. “Unless she perhaps plans to protect the regions, regardless of those that reside in them.” And in which case, for what purpose?

He didn’t consider Morgan to be a conqueror, but there’s a part of him that grows confused as to why she’d lend her efforts to the Ascended as well as the Greatwood, should they end up on opposite sides.

Though he supposes he should be asking himself the same thing, given the fact he’s stuck in the middle.

The rest, though, the mention of a trial has his attention back again – the governor blinking away the fogginess in his gaze to listen more intently to what the diplomat has to say. And it makes sense, too, that they likely would only become tolerable rather than outright aggression. Was that something the Ascended could live with? Was it something worth following down?

He hopes so. “Ah.” He murmurs, but nods regardless. “Well, I hope that it can be worked out. And as always, I will try to help where I can.” He leans back in the chair, lips quirking as he debates whether to add the next part or not, and decides to go with it anyway. “I’d prefer to prevent it all. Some peace would be nice.” He sighs, as if it were such a far fetched idea that was hard to grasp.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper frowned, a little concerned to hear that Morgan had allied herself with the Ascended as well as with the Greatwood. She didn't want to mistrust the Warden, but if she considered herself a friend of the Ascended, would she keep her promise to defend the Greatwood? Well, Morgan had only sworn to aid the Greatwood if it were attacked -- perhaps she would recuse herself if the Fae struck first. All the more reason to avoid starting a war. "Perhaps she hopes to keep Halo neutral in such a conflict. It is remote, after all, and I've heard little of either side of the our potential war congregating there."

If Halo had the chance to just hunker down and get on with their lives while the rest of the continent tore itself to pieces, well -- Juniper wouldn't blame Morgan for finding that prospect more attractive than getting involved in war.

"Thank you," she added, to Sunjata's promise of aid. She really did appreciate it -- especially since he was the only person to truly buy into her idea. "I'll let you know if I think of any way to move forward."

She smiled ruefully. "Some peace would be nice."

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark

SUNJATA

the flood

Another low hum of agreement leaves the Flood at Juniper’s understanding, a nod of his head. “I’d have preferred to keep Torchline neutral as well, though I imagine it’s made quite difficult now.” He frowns lightly – though he doesn’t realize what his future actions will do in order to swing the pendulum straight into the Old Gods territory. As it were, however, he runs a hand through his hair, resting it on the back of his neck as if he’s considering something lengthy, something intriguing.

But he’s offered his help, in order to try and keep the peace. He’s offered his help in the form of Trials and support where he can. So when she offers the ability for her to let him know if his aid was needed, he offers her a surprisingly easy smile. He hopes he never has to receive that message of aid, but if it were to ever happen? Well, he’s sure with Juniper doing the best she can to alleviate it, it wouldn’t be something too drastic.

After all, for as much as Sunjata had grown to be wary of the Fae, he does consider Juniper a wonderful diplomat as well as someone he’d even consider calling a friend in these trying times. “So, I should probably get out of your hair. Unless there is anything else you wish to discuss?” His head tilts as his hand drops back down. “And if there isn’t, perhaps you could help me get back to the portal – given that the Greatwood likes to trick me.” A quiet chuckle leaves him as he regards her.

did you get out all of that angry passion?
is it still formin'? Has it started to torture you?

JUNIPER

you think i'm happy because i'm smiling,
but it's the easiest thing to do

Juniper nodded. A more calculating individual might refuse to hope for Torchline's neutrality in the hopes that it would join her own side, but Juniper would not wish war on an entire region of uninvolved strangers simply because it might benefit her people. She wouldn't even wish war on a region of involved strangers -- she didn't wish for war at all. "Well, we can only do so much. But I do wish you good fortune."

She didn't recognize the faith Sunjata was placing in her, his trust that she could handle whatever came without too much trouble, but she appreciated his willingness to help.

And then the conversation drew to a close: Juniper didn't have anything more to discuss, and had no reason to draw it out if Sunjata felt ready to leave. She had conceived this more to check on him than to talk about war, after all. With a smile, she said, "There's nothing else, but I would be happy to make sure you get to the portal all right."

- FIN

if you looked a little closer,
you'd find my eyes aren't smiling too.

table by Skylark