Brad sees those spots but doesn't know what they are, so he shows little concern for them. He just walks over to where she is and sits down next to her.]
C'mon, it's not that bad. You didn't do some big malicious act, you made a mistake.
[A mistake that is going to get someone executed, but still a mistake.]
[Of course he doesn't... no one here does, so maybe she should stop worrying about them being seen so much.
But it is unsightly, and it is a sign of her weakness.]
It was rash and impulsive, and I gambled with a low hand. [As she saw it, there were two possible outcomes, and then a third, at the end: defending Siffrin would expose the person who committed the crime, Siffrin really was deserving of her scrutiny, or, when it was over, more people would spare him than her.] I've only had blood on my hands to save others until now.
[She will chew on this regardless of the lack of lecture, cold and logical where her head can't exactly be right now, but maybe later. That things did not go according to plan and that her improvisation wasn't enough to save the fumble.
Andrew wipes at her mouth.]
I didn't. [She looks him dead in the eye, and though she's flushed and glassy, her eyes are hard as emeralds.] What I need to accomplish can't be done with that.
[He takes this information and mulls on it for a moment before nodding.]
Alright. I didn't think you had, but it's good to have confirmation.
[Who did kill Shiv? He's still not sure yet. But eliminating one possibility helps.]
I can't accomplish my goals by killing here either. My world is ending, and that redheaded knight and I have to get back home to stall that world-ending for a little bit longer. Every man counts.
[Especially someone like Brad, who ranks in the top 10 of strongest wizards and witches in his world. But he won't say that part out loud.]
So I wanna find who killed Shiv and let Siffrin die. Maybe if everyone knows they can beat 'em up or somethin'.
[It sounds like something in her personal life is difficult, then. That sucks. He won't pry for information on it, figuring she'll share things when she feels comfortable with it.]
That's why I was thinkin' just a few punches. And some yelling.
[It's difficult to think that will be enough to satisfy the true feelings of so many of them... whether they're looking for vengeance or repentance or some secret third thing.
Andrew's gaze lowers; she coughs a little.] All right.
... I still believe the frog was utilized as a distraction. Unfortunately, it was successful.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 03:06 am (UTC)Brad sees those spots but doesn't know what they are, so he shows little concern for them. He just walks over to where she is and sits down next to her.]
C'mon, it's not that bad. You didn't do some big malicious act, you made a mistake.
[A mistake that is going to get someone executed, but still a mistake.]
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 03:19 am (UTC)But it is unsightly, and it is a sign of her weakness.]
It was rash and impulsive, and I gambled with a low hand. [As she saw it, there were two possible outcomes, and then a third, at the end: defending Siffrin would expose the person who committed the crime, Siffrin really was deserving of her scrutiny, or, when it was over, more people would spare him than her.] I've only had blood on my hands to save others until now.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 03:56 am (UTC)[He is also rash and impulsive, unfortunately. It would be hypocritical of him to give someone grief over it.]
So instead the only thing to do is to move forward from this. Next time you gamble, do it with a higher hand.
[He'll leave it there for now though, because he didn't come here to lecture her.]
You didn't kill this week, right? I gotta check before I go on with what I wanted to talk to you about.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 04:02 am (UTC)Andrew wipes at her mouth.]
I didn't. [She looks him dead in the eye, and though she's flushed and glassy, her eyes are hard as emeralds.] What I need to accomplish can't be done with that.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 04:07 am (UTC)Alright. I didn't think you had, but it's good to have confirmation.
[Who did kill Shiv? He's still not sure yet. But eliminating one possibility helps.]
I can't accomplish my goals by killing here either. My world is ending, and that redheaded knight and I have to get back home to stall that world-ending for a little bit longer. Every man counts.
[Especially someone like Brad, who ranks in the top 10 of strongest wizards and witches in his world. But he won't say that part out loud.]
So I wanna find who killed Shiv and let Siffrin die. Maybe if everyone knows they can beat 'em up or somethin'.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 04:42 am (UTC)[Her personal world, Andrew means, is ending. It's much smaller; the stakes only extend to the things she knows.
At the proposition, she's silent for a bit. She has to agree that it's what she wants, too... for several reasons.]
Will beating them up be enough? Killing brings us back here, with someone we won't want to condemn.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 04:44 am (UTC)That's why I was thinkin' just a few punches. And some yelling.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-23 05:21 am (UTC)Andrew's gaze lowers; she coughs a little.] All right.
... I still believe the frog was utilized as a distraction. Unfortunately, it was successful.