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Post by Blaze on Mar 13, 2022 23:37:45 GMT -8
Blaze takes in the story, and the realization of how it is an admission of vulnerability - at that time and in general - doesn't hit her until the tale is done. An Entitled changeling with loyal companions had to endure a stranglehold of a pledge, death and indebting herself to horrors of the Hedge, with banishment or worse resting on nothing else than a stray bullet or lucky swing of sword. The prospect and implication was terrifying, but also in a strange way relieving: there *was* a good ending, after all, and knowing the depth of the danger you're in is somehow liberating.
"I want to thank you for the story." She finally says "There's nothing I could say that wouldn't somehow cheapen it, but I'd be honoured to keep learning."
That phrase sticks with her: Your honor solely exists on the results. It's a very pragmatic take, and one Blaze could get behind, even if the laws and customs of Winter don't care for honour as most understand it. For now there is nothing to do but make sure this integrity is preserved. As if nothing ever happened.
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Post by Wayland on Mar 17, 2022 13:43:32 GMT -8
Wayland feels a bit sick to her stomach. Mary’s story has roused an uncomfortable cocktail of emotions. There’s cause to hope, to think that she and Eis and Blaze haven’t doomed themselves, might have a path out of this. But there is also resentment. They’ll be judged on their results, and they will have to achieve those results alone.
Because it turns out being part of a Freehold doesn’t really mean helping each other at all. Not when the chips are down.
There’s something more to that, a road Wayland’s mind wants to go down. The black-and-white thinking, the inability to trust or forgive. She pushes those thoughts away, trying to refocus on what she’s learned.
There’s a goal now. There’s a way to slip the bonds of Isla’s oath, and keep her own conscience clean at the same time. With some effort, she avoids looking at Blaze for solidarity.
They can do this.
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