inbox.

[heirring]

[action + written + crystal]

Comments

[heirring]

I'm being no such thing. Merely admit that you have never thought of me as anything but silly and ridiculous and I will submit to whatever precautions you would have me adopt.

[bouchonne]

[ What? ]

Miss Poppell, we're discussing matters far more serious than whether I thought of you as silly and ridiculous.

[heirring]

Why is that not a serious matter to you? Had things gone differently either of those times previous, I might be in Venatori hands right now and you none the wiser of what that might mean.

[bouchonne]

Until fire started raining down on our heads, I suppose.

[heirring]

And your first thought would have been for me? Unlikely.

[bouchonne]

Given that you detest me, Miss Poppell, I wonder at what causes you to be insulted that I wouldn't be in a fuss for your sake.

[heirring]

So you will not be throwing me into a cell, I take it. And should I stray too close to the enemy a third time. What would you have me do then, Ambassador?

cw suicide

[bouchonne]

[ Grimly, but like it's obvious: ]

Take your life. If it comes to that. If it becomes clear that you will become a tool for their purposes.

[heirring]

[Obviously.]

How good that I'm so clever then, given the first thing the Venatori do is usually strip their prisoners of weapons.

[bouchonne]

There is training that can be done, on techniques. The Scoutmaster or I could show you.

[heirring]

Very well. When you are prepared to admit your fault, I will dutifully apply myself to such lessons.

[bouchonne]

My fault in what? Endeavoring to bring about your death?

[heirring]

[Ugh, she says. Or at the very least makes a sound with a very similar sentiment.]

I care very little about what you did or didn't do in the dream, Mister Rutyer. We are discussing matters of respect in the here and now.

[bouchonne]

Ah. Miss Poppell, I do have to note that if you must bargain for respect, something may be wrong with your presentation to the world.

[heirring]

Is that all you have to say on the subject?

[bouchonne]

Very well. I'm deeply sorry.

[heirring]

--Is very kind of you to say, but I wasn't asking for an apology. My request was for a confession.

[bouchonne]

What, a confession that I have seen you as frivolous?

[heirring]

Precisely.

[bouchonne]

All right. Yes, I have seen you as frivolous.

[heirring]

Very good. Then you or the Scoutmaster may schedule for me whatever lessons you believe would be most valuable for the task of self-murder. I am available either early in the morning, or directly after the lunch hour.

Shall I inform Mister Stark that he's also to receive an education, or would you refer to broach the subject with him personally? Do you suppose you will incorporate these lessons into the obligatory Rifter curriculum, lest one of them somehow be underestimated? Or perhaps it should be like Monsieur Royan's etiquette lessons and the whole company ought to learn.

[bouchonne]

Miss Poppell, you are not taking this seriously.

[heirring]

Am I not?

[bouchonne]

You are not. You are continuing to be frivolous.

[heirring]

In what way am I being frivolous? Have I not agreed to lessons? Have I not gone to great efforts to illustrate your previous oversight and made some suggestion to avoid similat mistakes in the future?

Really, Lord Ambassador—What was it? That if you must insult me to be taken seriously then perhaps there is something wrong with your presentation to the world.