>>FROM:@AEGONNER

[northerndragon]

Tell me about your gods.

If you don't have that kind of faith, then tell me what else you believe in. There must be something.

And if not that, tell me what you think of when you know a battle is coming.

Comments

[northerndragon]

My father's gods, as far as it goes, but I'm not sure it's a matter of belief, or that they're the only gods who hold any sway in the world I come from.

You're not alone. I'd rather keep the edge. Fighting with swords or arrows or shields or spears, you can't be sloppy. You train for a lifetime so you can live through those few hours or days, and so that the people you fight for can live through them.

[pointedlook]

Would you still believe in them, if they didn't have sway?

That's how I feel, yeah. In something like what's coming up, one mistake can cost too much. I'd rather not bring that misfortune.

[northerndragon]

It's hard not to believe in them a little when I was raised to it, and when I have other reasons. Even when there's doubt, their trees have stood for thousands of years, since before there were men at all. Where other gods have sway, the people have cut down the weirwoods. There was a time when I could have had almost everything I'd ever wanted if I'd agreed to cut down a few acres of forest that my people had held sacred, to make way for a new god, and I couldn't do it. But it wasn't so much a matter of my belief as... I had no right to do it.

It might be better to continue in person. I'm in the library, trying to understand this war.

[pointedlook]

I'll meet you there.

[ And so he does, showing his face in the library not too long after his last message. He remembers Jon– though he barely had any time to speak to him in France.

He supposes it's better late than never. ]

Good to see you again. I see you obviously survived Paris.

[northerndragon]

[Arthur was one of the very first people Jon had spoken to after finding himself in COST, and as such, the look Jon gives him when he arrives is pleased and friendly -- a brighter face than his everyday one, though since their arrival from Paris, most of his everyday faces are a little brighter than they had been before it.]

It's good to see you well -- and you did too. Where did you spend it? Daenerys and Ashitaka and I were mostly spying in the Tuileries... trying to, anyway. She was a maid and we were guards.

[pointedlook]

[ At the friendly greeting, he returns it in kind– a nod and something like a smile. Arthur takes a seat on one of the chairs that (probably) isn't full of crows, relaxed. ]

It'll take more than a little revolution to get me killed. [ Mostly because he tries to stay out of the direct line of fire, but details, details. ] Never stuck in one place, but never did end up in the Tuileries. How did your spying go? Learn anything interesting?

[ It's more of a broad question– they have no need of the information that Jon might've gleaned. At least not at present. ]

[northerndragon]

The Queen of France tried to marry Daenerys to me, and her children wanted nothing but piggyback rides and stories. It was hard to tell them stories when I wasn't from their world, but knowing that there were things like constellations and wolves in their world made it easier. As for the three of us... we learned things, but we didn't learn enough fast enough.

[He takes a seat himself.]

I've had worse missions, but not with COST. Not the first time I found myself respecting a man I was supposed to be spying on.

[It's possible that he's a rubbish spy.]