08-29-2019, 07:28 PM
Heartfire had declined to participate in the discussion that Lepis had started and the subsequent offer that the Comtesse had made, but at the mention of a ‘threat’, Lepis blinks. She is genuinely taken aback, despite having been sure she’d considered each potential ending to this conversation on her journey north.
“My threat?” She repeats, and the furrow of her blue striped brow matches the disbelief in her voice. Lepis might not be a spring chicken anymore, but surely she is not already losing her memory? She’d certainly not treated with Heartfire the same way that they had with Aten; there’s been no promise of violence if all did not go smoothly. But then, with a dawning realization in her voice (if not a clearing of her frown) she repeats: “My threat. My threat to make Taiga safer.”
She does not elaborate further, but the frown on her face lightens to something that is quite like the blank mask that Heartfire had worn on her visit to Nerine.
“I did come to discuss that, but I don’t think there’s anything to retract. I shared my plans and made you an offer. But if you felt that was a threat…” She trails off with a shrug of her winged shoulders, and this time there is amusement in her eyes when she adds: “You might not like this conversation either.”
Bane had asked her if she was happy, and while she’d given him an answer, the question has plagued her since. She had always been certain before. She would take Taiga, and then the North, and then Beqanna. Her world would be united and her family would be safe. Others’ families would be safe. That her methods are unorthodox is something she accepts, but she’d been sure if was the best way, the fastest way, the quickest way.
“I came to ask why you refused to discuss it. To find out why you think Nerine is more capable than Loess and her allies to defend Taiga, and why you think this quiet cliffside deserves to be the kingdom rather than our growing redwood forest.” Perhaps there is something she is missing, Lepis reasons. Aten had acquiesced to the logic of their demands. Heartfire should have been no different.
@[Heartfire]
“My threat?” She repeats, and the furrow of her blue striped brow matches the disbelief in her voice. Lepis might not be a spring chicken anymore, but surely she is not already losing her memory? She’d certainly not treated with Heartfire the same way that they had with Aten; there’s been no promise of violence if all did not go smoothly. But then, with a dawning realization in her voice (if not a clearing of her frown) she repeats: “My threat. My threat to make Taiga safer.”
She does not elaborate further, but the frown on her face lightens to something that is quite like the blank mask that Heartfire had worn on her visit to Nerine.
“I did come to discuss that, but I don’t think there’s anything to retract. I shared my plans and made you an offer. But if you felt that was a threat…” She trails off with a shrug of her winged shoulders, and this time there is amusement in her eyes when she adds: “You might not like this conversation either.”
Bane had asked her if she was happy, and while she’d given him an answer, the question has plagued her since. She had always been certain before. She would take Taiga, and then the North, and then Beqanna. Her world would be united and her family would be safe. Others’ families would be safe. That her methods are unorthodox is something she accepts, but she’d been sure if was the best way, the fastest way, the quickest way.
“I came to ask why you refused to discuss it. To find out why you think Nerine is more capable than Loess and her allies to defend Taiga, and why you think this quiet cliffside deserves to be the kingdom rather than our growing redwood forest.” Perhaps there is something she is missing, Lepis reasons. Aten had acquiesced to the logic of their demands. Heartfire should have been no different.
@[Heartfire]
