[ Bastien nods to himself, cheek squashing up and down against Byerly’s chest. The easy thing—the Orlesian thing—would be to shrug at that. Orlesians are always out to get one another, up to and including the Empress. It’s expected. Your cousin might ruin you for your title, but that’s not a betrayal of cherished national values. It’s a fulfillment of them.
But Fereldans are honest, like Byerly said. Not immune to back room deals and treachery, because no nation is, but their idealized image of themselves isn’t masked and scheming. It’s hashing things out with words or fists in broad daylight. Going the Landsmeet (Bastien’s been reading up on those) and saying their piece in front of everyone and seeing a fair outcome.
So to be masked and scheming in the midst of them— ]
That sounds lonely.
[ He rests his hand on Byerly’s knee. ]
Do you have to do it all alone? Other than reporting in.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-07-26 05:55 pm (UTC)But Fereldans are honest, like Byerly said. Not immune to back room deals and treachery, because no nation is, but their idealized image of themselves isn’t masked and scheming. It’s hashing things out with words or fists in broad daylight. Going the Landsmeet (Bastien’s been reading up on those) and saying their piece in front of everyone and seeing a fair outcome.
So to be masked and scheming in the midst of them— ]
That sounds lonely.
[ He rests his hand on Byerly’s knee. ]
Do you have to do it all alone? Other than reporting in.