fade rift | inbox

[exequy]

crystal • notes • visits • etc.

Comments

[galvanising]

Fuck dignity.

[ She doesn't mean that hardly at all, but solidarity is more important than honesty and she doesn't linger second-guessing it. She doesn't linger long over his plan, either, not interested in trying to read into the making of the offer when he'd been quite certain about the wisdom of the opposite course, before. ]

Good [ is about all she says, firm, no sentiment in her tone ] He could do with the experience.

[exequy]

[ Thank the Maker. He's relieved for a second. But only a second, so he doesn't sound it, just moves on. ]

He wants to find a way to punish those who didn't join us.

[galvanising]

Mmm.

[ A vague, non-committal noise. Thoughtful, but from her thoughtful does not necessarily bode well. ]

I can understand the temptation. If we'd made a stronger, more unified stand we might not have had to concede so much.

[ She's probably just trying to push him into hashing out the counter-argument. Probably. ]

[exequy]

[ He's not in the best position for that, possibly, having recently thrown food at someone who didn't join them. But: ]

We've been divisive enough for one month. This is important, it's worth it, but if we don't... If we don't let it go and focus—

[ B- for effort? ]

[galvanising]

[ At best, but Nell's at about a B- on the opposite argument at the moment anyway, so whatever. ]

Yeah. And we need to make sure everyone focuses on this as a victory, anyway. We'll keep a close eye on those who didn't join us but moving against them now wouldn't serve us, even if we had a way.

[exequy]

Something like that.

[ Between the two of them they can come up with something that sounds more convincing later, probably. Surely. ]

It is a victory. Whatever you end up with.

[galvanising]

Is it? I know we can paint it as one, and we will. Just forcing them to negotiate with us on this at all is, in some sense, an incredible step forward.

But I can't help feeling we've fallen into their trap. We tried to play by their rules and have now had to concede things to them in return, like our freedom is something to barter and buy piecemeal and not something we deserve the whole of without caveat. Why are we paying for something we are owed?

[exequy]

Because it does not matter what we believe we're owed if no one else agrees. Even Tevinter was only offering us indentured servitude.

[galvanising]

You do always know how to make me feel worse.

[exequy]

You're welcome.