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[ This has been difficult for Clarine, Hector knows that well. Soldier or no, she's clearly not used to death like this. He's... envious in a way. As Ostia's heir, he's well accustomed to defending himself from assassination attempts, and kill or be killed is a lesson he learned early. He wasn't allowed the softer upbringing she's had.
But he's not the kind of person who lets such things consume him. He is who he is and she is who she is. He's glad she hasn't faced the same trials he has and he wishes he could spare her the one she's going through now, or at least... that he was better at providing comfort. Anything he could think to say sounds trite or condescending.
But she has other friends who can provide that for her. He'll leave it to them. He'll take care of her in his own way. ]
Clarine. Let's find a river. Those gloves might be salvageable if we're fast enough.
[ Dang healers always wearing white it's like you're not expecting to murder anyone or something. ]
But he's not the kind of person who lets such things consume him. He is who he is and she is who she is. He's glad she hasn't faced the same trials he has and he wishes he could spare her the one she's going through now, or at least... that he was better at providing comfort. Anything he could think to say sounds trite or condescending.
But she has other friends who can provide that for her. He'll leave it to them. He'll take care of her in his own way. ]
Clarine. Let's find a river. Those gloves might be salvageable if we're fast enough.
[ Hector's more than just a little shaken up after the execution. That was... Horrifying isn't a strong enough word for it. He feels ill and unclean and... just incredibly tired.
But he can't falter now. He has to stay strong, he has to return to Ostia, he still needs to take up the mantle his brother left for him. He can't afford to die here, too much is counting on him.
Like a daughter he hasn't even fathered yet, according to Clarine. Maybe that means he really can't die here, he doesn't really know and he doesn't really want to think about it, not right now. Right now, he needs to just focus on making it through one day at a time and protecting as many lives as he can.
But which lives? There's a rat among the group, that's already clear, and somewhere here also hides a wolf. No, wolf is too kind. This General is nothing more than a mad dog, and Hector swears to himself that he'll see him put down personally. He'll pay for the cruelty he's visited, the unforgivable horror he showed them there. He'll pay in blood and--
No, focus, focus, Marquess Ostia can't afford to be ruled by his temper. He might be furious, but he has to focus it into something productive. Vengeance can come later, for now he needs to recover, stay strong, build a base of people he can trust.
He'll start with Clarine. She recognized him, he knows her parents, she's closer to being one of his people than anyone here.
And maybe he's kind of concerned for her for its own sake. If this is this hard on him, he can't imagine what it's like for a girl like her.
He gently sets a hand on her shoulder. ]
Clarine.
But he can't falter now. He has to stay strong, he has to return to Ostia, he still needs to take up the mantle his brother left for him. He can't afford to die here, too much is counting on him.
Like a daughter he hasn't even fathered yet, according to Clarine. Maybe that means he really can't die here, he doesn't really know and he doesn't really want to think about it, not right now. Right now, he needs to just focus on making it through one day at a time and protecting as many lives as he can.
But which lives? There's a rat among the group, that's already clear, and somewhere here also hides a wolf. No, wolf is too kind. This General is nothing more than a mad dog, and Hector swears to himself that he'll see him put down personally. He'll pay for the cruelty he's visited, the unforgivable horror he showed them there. He'll pay in blood and--
No, focus, focus, Marquess Ostia can't afford to be ruled by his temper. He might be furious, but he has to focus it into something productive. Vengeance can come later, for now he needs to recover, stay strong, build a base of people he can trust.
He'll start with Clarine. She recognized him, he knows her parents, she's closer to being one of his people than anyone here.
And maybe he's kind of concerned for her for its own sake. If this is this hard on him, he can't imagine what it's like for a girl like her.
He gently sets a hand on her shoulder. ]
Clarine.
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