He nodded at her list of reasons, not doubting her sincerity. He knew how busy Rory's farm kept him, and didn't know that she had a tenant to help her out, as the blond hunter did not. He understood, too, the feeling of wanting to avoid a conversation that he had known would be uncomfortable. He didn't interrupt her, though. Every inch of her body language screamed tension and anxiety, and spoke to the courage it had taken her to bring her fears to him at last. He watched with gentle eyes, and waited for her to finish, though her final question prodded a tired sigh from him, and a nod of acknowledgment.
"Things change," he said quietly, echoing a sentiment a wise man had once shared with him in the dark of Long Night. "Whether we will it or no. I didn't agree with how fast they were changing, thanks to Roana," he didn't quite growl the name, but there was a dangerous glint of ice in his eyes at her name. "But... knowing what we do now, even if she hadn't tried to force the issue, the Ascended would have done so anyways. Though at least they were a coalition of Outlanders and Naturals, and not the wedge between our peoples that Roana has become."
He exhaled, letting the ice and steel subside beneath his more usual controlled mien, and the smile he gave Maea was a little sad, and more than a little tired. "As I said in that very meeting where it was brought up: I am not a good choice to lead here, even if it were a position I wanted. With Ronin gone, I don't get along with most of the top ranks of the Northhavener contingent - the largest group of Outlanders in the Hollowed Grounds. Nor, as it turns out, do Wessex and I have much to say to each other, and she... well. She at least thinks she leads the Ascended." He grimaced faintly, giving a slight shrug. "But either way, it means that my place in a government would immediately create opposition - as Roana's is doing, by chasing away Rory and those who supported him," he added, his frown deepening thoughtfully.
For a moment he sat in silence, pondering the complications that had arisen since that damned Notice went up and sparked something that was very nearly war. His hands stayed serenely folded on his desk, but his eyes were shadowed with frustrations that still felt recent - and a protectiveness that Roana and her group of marauders had instilled in the hearts of more than just him.
"I did not come," he said at last, quietly, "Because I was disguised, blending in with the mob at the Spire, with Rory and Amalia and those who objected to Outlanders making hasty and unilateral decisions for a people and a home that were not their own. Rory had called them together, Rory led them - and your missive called him away, leaving the group without a leader and ripe for violence without control if Roana had decided to show up early." He shook his head, eyes dark as he looked up to meet Maea's eyes, if she would look at him. "I didn't know that you had called Roana to your table as well, but that just meant that if her followers had showed up before noon, then there would have been two groups ready to tear into each other, without leaders to speak between them and try to diffuse the violence." He sighed again, tired and wishing that things had happened differently... and knowing that wishing made no difference. "So Rory and I discussed things between us, and he went to represent us both while I remained behind to try and keep the peace - or at least serve as a significant enough distraction to delay any violence that might have started in the power vacuum created by the timing of your call."
"Things change," he said quietly, echoing a sentiment a wise man had once shared with him in the dark of Long Night. "Whether we will it or no. I didn't agree with how fast they were changing, thanks to Roana," he didn't quite growl the name, but there was a dangerous glint of ice in his eyes at her name. "But... knowing what we do now, even if she hadn't tried to force the issue, the Ascended would have done so anyways. Though at least they were a coalition of Outlanders and Naturals, and not the wedge between our peoples that Roana has become."
He exhaled, letting the ice and steel subside beneath his more usual controlled mien, and the smile he gave Maea was a little sad, and more than a little tired. "As I said in that very meeting where it was brought up: I am not a good choice to lead here, even if it were a position I wanted. With Ronin gone, I don't get along with most of the top ranks of the Northhavener contingent - the largest group of Outlanders in the Hollowed Grounds. Nor, as it turns out, do Wessex and I have much to say to each other, and she... well. She at least thinks she leads the Ascended." He grimaced faintly, giving a slight shrug. "But either way, it means that my place in a government would immediately create opposition - as Roana's is doing, by chasing away Rory and those who supported him," he added, his frown deepening thoughtfully.
For a moment he sat in silence, pondering the complications that had arisen since that damned Notice went up and sparked something that was very nearly war. His hands stayed serenely folded on his desk, but his eyes were shadowed with frustrations that still felt recent - and a protectiveness that Roana and her group of marauders had instilled in the hearts of more than just him.
"I did not come," he said at last, quietly, "Because I was disguised, blending in with the mob at the Spire, with Rory and Amalia and those who objected to Outlanders making hasty and unilateral decisions for a people and a home that were not their own. Rory had called them together, Rory led them - and your missive called him away, leaving the group without a leader and ripe for violence without control if Roana had decided to show up early." He shook his head, eyes dark as he looked up to meet Maea's eyes, if she would look at him. "I didn't know that you had called Roana to your table as well, but that just meant that if her followers had showed up before noon, then there would have been two groups ready to tear into each other, without leaders to speak between them and try to diffuse the violence." He sighed again, tired and wishing that things had happened differently... and knowing that wishing made no difference. "So Rory and I discussed things between us, and he went to represent us both while I remained behind to try and keep the peace - or at least serve as a significant enough distraction to delay any violence that might have started in the power vacuum created by the timing of your call."
