abraxaslogs | I don't trust, but I see right in front of me

The mess of Lucifer's mind would probably be difficult or frustrating for someone else, but Istredd's pieced it together since the first time Lucifer allowed him into his mind. It's as familiar as his own mind by now. It'll never be simple, this bond, but it is the only thing keeping him sane at times. Like now.

The distraction is temporary because as soon as they keep moving and more people appear, Istredd's anxiety spikes again. He keeps close to Lucifer again, bumping arms with him, eyes darting back and forth. These are all fishermen, he shouldn't be concerned about them. (But what were the zealots, before? Farmers?) He remembers to breathe himself.

"I'm not going to get sick on a dock." Probably. Istredd actually does not know that for certain. He did adjust to the ship eventually and he was fine by the time they left. People notice when he speaks and he clenches a hand into the handle of his backpack. His frustration turns to determination. Istredd pushes past Lucifer onto the docks and searches for a captain who looks old enough to have been at this for a time.

Not that long ago, Istredd worked with people. Many of them helped him with his digs and research into the monoliths. They used to talk to him, share their hearts. He is better with regular folk than he is with anyone in the castle. His blue eyes are sincere, his manner casual. "Excuse me. We are looking for the family of a brave fisherman who was lost to a sea creature while trying to help others. Perhaps of the name of Moran. We are seeking to give them recompense."

If the first one doesn't work, he is likely to keep asking.

For the first time that he's ever done it by choice, Lucifer casts out a use of Bless on Istredd. Istredd's already felt it once before, that warm, unexpected feeling on the ship when Lucifer has stumbling into the spell, so it won't be a surprise. Well. Mostly not a surprise.

Just a minute. An extra push to guide Istredd's burst of determination.

Lucifer's keeping an eye out, much the same way he'd threatened in the Horizon. That shadow at Istredd's back, ever vengeful if someone steps out of line wrong. Lucifer is not the forgiving sort.

He'll keep his hood down on the chance that someone recognizes him and approaches him instead of Istredd, but that wariness he sensed in the streets still follows them here. And it is them both, not just Lucifer.

Nott always had a different vibe than Thorne, sure. But this? It's changed just from the last time he was on these docks.

He closes the distance to Istredd again, keeping at his back but with several feet between them. The mage has moved on already to another ~~target~~ source, and Lucifer already knows it's a winner by the way the man's gaze shifts from Istredd, to Lucifer. "You're back."

"Hi," Lucifer says, holding up a hand, not recognizing the fisherman in the slightest.

The man focuses right back to Istredd, dismissing Lucifer. "Morain. Recompense you say?"

Istredd does sense the Bless and maybe it does feed into him feeling more confident. Or having someone at his back in general helps. Either way he is forcing himself past his comfort zone. It is very unlikely anyone who would attack them here out in the open could handle them. It was different with the captures, they made certain they were out of sight, easy to snatch. There are people all around them here.

Istredd can also tell when it's a match because of the difference in the body language and attention. He could use his telepathy to be certain, but he rarely uses it on anyone without permission. Josselyn was a rare exception. It is better to try and do it this way, especially on people in Nott who already have been mistreated enough.

He slants a look at Lucifer and then back to the man.

"Yes. I was one of the people taken." Istredd knows there has been sympathy their way by people in Thorne, but he doesn't know if that will remain true here. But it does explain why he has a stake in this, hopefully. He was a driving factor, due to Lucifer's desperation. "My companions came here hoping to track us down. Captain Morain paid the price. We have gathered what we can as compensation to the family."

Istredd pulls the bag off since he wasn't so stupid as to put money where it could be pickpocketed. He offers a few coins to the man. Not too many, as everything they have saved is supposed to be for them. "He died in part because of me, sir. Please help us try to make it right."

"Unfortunately funds my compatriots and I had given to Morain were on his person when the... event occurred," he says solemnly. Istredd will be able to feel a trill of annoyance because that was his money on that man and in the belly of a sea monster. Maybe they've recovered it? Buuuut..... that's best not to ask. "So they never made it back to the family."

He shifts his weight to another foot, leaning into an air of discomfort, a dash of awkwardness, and a tad out-of-his-depth. He looks smaller than his height would normally suggest. Most people tend to forget that Lucifer does actually know what he's doing much of the time.

"None of us wanted that to happen. I still have nightmares of that creature." That creature is not what keeps him up at night. "The only blessing is that his family didn't have to witness it."

The man is stiff-faced for a few moments more before he relents with a tired sigh. He has other things to be doing, though the coin from Istredd gets palmed into safety and he seems mildly appeased. "If I hear you gave them any trouble, you'll have trouble the next time I see you."

"Of course," Lucifer says earnestly, holding up both his hands. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

They're given directions for further out along the harbor, the best estimate of streets and a shambled home tucked in among the many other fishermen homes.

When they're enough out of visible range, Lucifer groans mentally, like he's expelling the soiled layers of 'ingenuity'. Your story does help the lead-in, he admits, briefly hooking his arm with Istredd's as they return to the narrower pathways, a jaunt in his step to hide the brief offered comfort for what it was before he releases him again.

The difference is Istredd's story is the truth and Lucifer's simply toting the proper, expected words to fill-in the blanks.

Istredd knew Lucifer was going to put on an act for this so he can only be mildly amused on their bond, while the rest of him continues to be very solemn. It's true that his story is the truth and his sincerity is real. While he knows intellectually it is in no way his fault, and he doesn't hold that burden, he does feel somewhat responsible. The man did die because of getting involved in the hunt for the Summoned. None of them knew what would happen to him so it was a true accident. But it didn't make the Nott people any happier with them.

"Absolutely. Thank you, Captain." He knows that technically these titles are for military, but if someone owns a ship, they captain it in his opinion. He would take a fisherman over a military captain any day. He nods his head respectfully before they both turn to head in the direction of the house.

The brief hook of their arms together, that display of affection and closeness, does work as offered comfort. Especially as his adrenaline from talking to others fades away into anxiety again. They are in narrow streets and he seems to be breathing easier at least.

It's the truth. Who knows how many of their own people were taken by the zealots? No one cared when it was natives in smaller ignored places. So he doesn't know if people would react to the fact he was captured with sympathy or frustration for that very reason. A small gamble, but it paid off. Nott has been treated terribly by Thorne.

I spent much of my years doing digs and working with every day people to get answers. We talked a great deal. Most mages would look down their nose at that. They can be a very snobby group. His snobbiness comes out purely on the magical side, but on the class system side. I was allowed by a hated nation to do my work on their conquered land. He is a bad person, their leader, but the people loved him since they were starved and left to die before.

It was a strange position to be in. Yennefer accused him of buying in on Nilfgaard. He just thinks it's more complicated than that. He has no loyalty to any nation. He may have a soft spot in cases where every day civilians feel safer.

Edited 2023-05-10 14:17 (UTC)

Istredd getting a firsthand witness to Lucifer in complete deception mode should at least be an eye opener because Lucifer didn't... really bother with Istredd. He didn't have to, and maybe that is just out of not wanting to uphold masks in his space, but even their initial meeting while Lucifer was assessing the man, he just... didn't.

No need.

(It's an interesting parallel to Sabine, because he can't get an assessment on her and she makes his skin crawl every time he talks to her, trying to find an in to her workings when Lucifer would hate anyone doing the reverse to him.)

Nott continues to be a simple metaphoric stepping stone for Lucifer. The people could be useful--disenfranchised people easy to manipulate--or they could be wiped out from the consequences of the Summoned.

You can still hide in a ghost town.

It's the same with Abraxas as a whole. He doesn't need the people. He just needs his people; there's a difference. Everything else is malleable. There are casualties to shaping a world.

And rumors of them going missing have been for awhile, he agrees. Of course Thorne did nothing, but he doesn't imagine Nott asked for help, either. It's as he said in bed; Nott asking for anything from Thorne was too detrimental for what they wanted. They'd rather suffer than give the Crown a way in, a way to use them.

Maybe your situation is similar to why the Lords are in favor here. 'Maybe' they're doing all they can, but this city still suffers greatly. Anyone would be upset with that, and yet their blame is to Thorne as the source of all their troubles. I'm not saying the Lords are 'villains' but Thorne's kept out of Nott, and Hayle. How much is accurate, I wonder?

Thorne is comprised of villains in Lucifer's mind, but Lyle wants independence, and his people think Thorne's ignored them. Where does the fault truly belong?

Istredd's well aware at this juncture in their relationship that he's never seen the Lucifer that other people have. From the start, something was different about them. It could be the utter lack of knowledge he came into it since angels and the Bible don't exist in his sphere, no pre-existing information to taint him, or that Istredd, in general, doesn't bother with snap judgments. Or maybe their personalities simply gelled from the start.

He's seen Lucifer with others. Lucifer has been forthcoming about his past. He has no doubt about what his partner is capable of, which is why to Castiel and Kyle both, he simply shrugged at their concerns. They are valid concerns, but not something Istredd himself can worry about.

Istredd does care about people as a whole though. He's always had a streak of concern for the average person, free from the Brotherhood but not from the cruelty of their sphere. It's the same here. The people of Nott have dealt with Thorne for their entire existence. The Summoned only for less than two years.

I doubt they've actually kept out. Historically, the greatest disaster that ever happened to Thorne was losing control over the Free Cities and Solvunn. The royal family was executed for that failing. They may ignore them for now, but the moment Nott tries to gain true independence, they'll be squashed.

Little do they know that soon after this, Thorne will intentionally put on a demonstration in Nott of their power and influence. Using the Summoned, if they do all of it. Perhaps they already sense that there is a weakness in their power here. After losing the Summoned, they probably will try and display dominance everywhere they can.

That's why I think true war between Thorne and Free Cities is inevitable. They want to re-conquer the land they think is theirs. They want an excuse. It's surprising they agreed to a ceasefire at all, but Nocwich getting involved threw a wrench in it. They had to reconsider when other powers showed themselves. Solvunn's neutrality you didn't trust either. So it's all doomed, really. Inevitable.

Too bad we can't find a different island and move all the Summoned there. Get out of the way.

He has some bad-idea thoughts about keeping Nott from being squashed but they're lost in the bottom of the sea of Lucifer's mind in that they're not shared at all with Istredd. Later, perhaps, when he judges the value of these ideas and he needs the mage's skill.

The war will come to a head again at some point. That might provide them with the greatest distraction, depending how Thorne chooses to wield its Summoned. But perhaps Nott will be able to fall to the wayside if Thorne and Free Cities goes at it for real.

He doesn't even want to think about Solvunn likely coasting in the background again, despite everything.

Oh, yes, an island, he drawls, like the island you were holed up on. Maybe whatever creature my brother released has cleared it all out and is just waiting for him to come back.

Istredd thinks Solvunn might very well end up coasting in the background. Waiting for everyone else to kill each other. It's not the worst strategy. For all they know, Nocwich plans to do the same, and the Feywilds, which they know nothing about still.

Castiel was not the only person who released it. The shrine creature was very clever, it was talking to all of us in voices that could persuade us. He has no idea what voice Castiel heard. Perhaps it was God. Either way, Istredd wouldn't call that his mistake. It was a group effort and decision in the end ... while out of their minds.

If only we could trust Hayle. Istredd was there a short time and he already wants to go back. It is unsurprisingly his ideal sort of place, albeit just another type of gilded cage. A crystal cage, with so so so many books. If he didn't have better reason to sleep in bed with Lucifer, he might have snuck off to the library to read what he could before they were forced to leave.

He picked his partner over books, a true sign of love.

It seems like it could withstand pressure.

Castiel is the only person that matters. You are not going to dissuade him of this fact. He never did tell Istredd that he, ah, 'met up' with both his siblings at Josselyn's execution. It wasn't important. He's so about not making mistakes and yet he keeps being 'led into' them every time. By now he should know better than to listen to someone or something coercing him into something.

Unfortunately because of that meeting at the execution, he knows about his brother being tricked by Metatron, which ultimately did more damage to Heaven than Lucifer ever had.

I'll figure Hayle out in due time, he assures. It's on his to-do list. No city is as perfect as that place appears. I tried to dig into backstreets and found nothing out of sorts. Even rich cities--especially rich cities--have problems.

Glassware and crystal often have imperfections. He just needs to know what they are, and if its better or worse than Thorne. He has wondered if his rocky relation with Ambrose might benefit him into getting in good with Anastasia, but that's a different consideration.

They'd probably disagree on what they consider important. But that's mostly because Istredd is a busybody and likes to know things. He did tell Lucifer he informed Castiel of their friendship (still a friendship at the time) and left it fairly ambiguous as to what happened. He suspects Lucifer wouldn't be impressed by Castiel's promise to keep Istred safe ... and might even be very irritated by it.

You three make me glad I never had siblings. Or at least I don't think I do. It wouldn't matter if he did. Most of them would be older by now or already dead. Not a whole lot of people in their 80s and 90s comfortably living in the continent. Istredd has no family but the one he is quietly making day by day in the castle.

He knows befriending all three of them was asking for trouble, but he has been clear where his loyalties lie at the end of the day. In bed with this troublesome creature.

I'm sure it does, but it's not going to be easy to go back there. Alas. His great regret. Although he has some sentimental feeling toward the place too. Their first trip as a couple. Don't perceive him. Anastasia might like you considering Ambrose does not. Saying out loud what seems obvious. Now their sibling relationship does remind me of you all.

If he knew about Castiel's promise it might give his brother the barest pass. Minuscule brownie point (singular). Oh, but Castiel wouldn't even want that, not from him.

It'd still be a hilarious prospect. Castiel's in a worse state than Lucifer. An archangel losing grace is shaking and detrimental, but he's not sick and actively dying. An angel losing grace? Honestly, Castiel is pathetic right now. He'll likely peter out before he tries to be someone's flimsy shield.

Here's hoping one of the Rhett siblings does. It's something to use, anyway. You work on one, I work on the other. Tag-teaming to get what they need.

He pauses at a winding, lopsided intersection, recalling their instructions and Not At All subtly moving his stance just slightly to cover Istredd's back before he takes the upper right path and continues on.

Don't perceive him.

The intention was good. Istredd would maintain, rigorously and stubbornly, that he can take care of himself. He's learned how to not take it personally when people want to protect him though. It was an adjustment, that's all, since it comes from a place of caring that he exists.

He really smiles for the first time since they got there, glancing over at him. We make a fairly good team, you know. It's a little bit of a flirt, but mostly coming from a warm 'glad you're here' type of energy. If you can convince her to get us a closer look at Hayle, I would be very happy. Obviously he means the university and the books. Lucifer knows who he is dating.

Speaking of the protective bit, Istredd knows exactly what he's doing, and he considers being annoyed but the truth is, he's relieved. It makes his own anxious vigilance relax slightly. He takes the upper right path and his eyes only slightly dart when walking forward. "We'll make the same approach here." Istredd, sincere and direct. If they get mad, don't get defensive.

Boutiques it is! All the finest hat shops! Jewelry!

He's grinning broadly. It might be the first time they look out of place in the streets with keeping their thoughts between them.

Istredd can take care of himself when he's not hopped up on adrenaline, Lucifer is certain of that. Istredd can take care of himself when he's not on a hair-trigger for a shield spell if someone moves in a way he doesn't expect and only serves in making a bigger scene for them that he'll hate even more than just a sliver of protection from Lucifer.

"I should introduce myself first," he says.

Istredd laughs out loud. He hasn't forgotten that sometimes they look very bizarre when so much of their conversation is happening on the bond. Only occasionally is it observed, and the people of Nott generally don't care about them. Not that it's stopped them in any way and not that Istredd has any interest in saying this out loud, even with friends around them. Maybe especially when friends are around them.

Are you saying I get to pick out a hat for you? Because I might take time out of my busy reading schedule to do that.

It's true. He already communicated his concern about being around other people when he's this on the edge. His defensive capabilities are no joke and he could knock back innocent people because something seemed strange out of the corner of his eye. It would crush him if he hurt anyone that way. Lucifer is probably the smartest person he knows. And he understands people despite being a misanthrope about them.

Istredd has everything they brought for them in his bag so he'll be ready to set them out. It's meager, but the best they can do. "I'd say we could get a drink after, but we have no money."

Not my style, but I could make a hat work. He could make anything work, though fashion has hardly ever been a concern for him before. He'll clean up when he feels like it.

"That is a shame," he says aloud. Mentally, he's shaking his head. You want a drink from a fishing town? It's either going to be incredibly watered down bilge or the complete opposite, nothing in between. You want a drink? I'll buy you one in Nocwich. Means you gotta go with him to Nocwich, Istredd... I can sell something from the Hunting Grounds to pay for that much.

You can make anything work, he says flirtatiously. Istredd has faith in that, but he's been attracted to Lucifer for a long time, and he's never put any effort into it before. He finds him appealing in anything.

There is a pause at that. Nocwich to him is still a strain of memories. It should be good memories, as they survived, but it's not always that simple. But he knows Lucifer is trying to get him to push past his isolation. And sooner or later, he will have to go to other places without feeling this way. He told Lucifer that he trusted him to bring him back if he broke. He's proving that faith right.

Istredd waves a hand and for a short time an illusion is put up so nothing on the outside seems to change. But he takes the opportunity to reach out and snag Lucifer by the collar, tugging him in for a kiss. Having an illusionist for a romantic partner means PDA can be hidden. The impulse is for a few reasons but he doesn't let it linger. It's more of a statement of affection and gratitude, which is also bleeding through the bond.

You're quite good at relationships for a beginner. He smiles when they part, letting Lucifer go. Yes, let's do that.

Edited 2023-05-12 17:42 (UTC)

There is a notable surprise from him for the action, but only for a moment before amusement slips back in.

Trust Lucifer to make Istredd impulsive.

Remember that the next time I screw up. Because it will happen, there's no doubt.

But he's going to hold Istredd to it if he waffles around the time they can go to Nocwich. Truthfully Lucifer doesn't particularly want to go either for the same reasons, for just how much he was itching to leave Nocwich the last time and return to Thorne. But the Hunting Grounds is how he keeps at the top of his game and maybe get a few extra coin for sliding ingredients in to someone under the table.

He has to go, might as well make sure Istredd has a reward for Getting Out and going with him.

"This area is sounding... kind of familiar. I think it's around here somewhere--hey," he pauses to catch someone passing by, "we're looking for the late Morain's family home?" The first person he asks shrugs him off and keeps walking, the second still shrugs him off but waves to a few homes down, a faded blue-painted home, darkening closer to brown from wear and like whoever put it together built two separate projects and squashed them together to make one. "Thanks," Lucifer says, but the figure it already ducked away and gone.

He trusts Istredd to back him up in whatever situation he gets him in, so he is first to knock, half expecting it to actually be the wrong house and whatever street urchin was just trolling him, but an exhausted woman does open the door.

"Ah, hi," he says, deliberately faltering. For all his unease sounding, Istredd will only feel confidence shining through. "Sorry to bother you, I'm not sure we have the right place--your husband, was it Morain? The fisherman?"

Her expression is neutral, but her tone is cautious. "Yes, that's right."

"I'm sorry. That's it's taken so long for me to get here. I--I was on the boat, with him. He was helping me."

I thought I was the current screw-up. And a flagrant flirt. Lucifer could be a bad influence although he hasn't encouraged any of this. Istredd does adopt his confidence occasionally, it feels good when he does. But they have a job to do here, getting rid of most of their money in one swoop.

These homes remind him of some of the poorer villages he's been to. Istredd doesn't have to school his face into being more serious or contrite. His feelings are genuine. Enough people died during this experience. None of them should have either. He lets Lucifer go first and introduces himself as Istredd hovers carefully behind him.

"He was trying to help investigate a lead on the missing people, myself among them." Istredd actually doesn't know how much they were told about the hows or whys the man died. The Nott people did know about the creature in the wrong place, but the reasons for it may not have been clear. "We don't have much but we would like to offer you and your family some recompense."

Halfsies on the screw-ups.

Istredd's got doing their bond wrong. Lucifer's got knocking Istredd unconscious during an intimate moment and messaging Yennefer.

"Those that had been on the boat with me are gone now with the whims of the Singularity, but they'd be with me at your door were they still here."

He thinks there's some truth to that. Kol seemed reasonable enough and Robin naive enough, though he imagines more fight out of her, given the circumstances and likely some... trust issues surrounding Lucifer.

But hey, he brought Wilhelm back. He did what he set out to do. She couldn't have been too annoyed at him before she up and vanished--not that it mattered to him.

He glances behind them, not sure doing this sort of 'deal' in the streets would be wise. They don't need bringing more trouble down on this house because she suddenly has more coin than before.

"I understand you may not want to allow us into your home, but--"

She cuts him off, and that caution has increased, that same unease that he's felt from around them since they entered the city, "Here is fine," she says firmly, and Lucifer nods, holding up his hands in deference.

Just don't let the exchange be too visible, he says to Istredd.

Careful with mentions of the Singularity having Summoned go missing. That isn't public knowledge.

There is very little most people know about the Summoned and while no natives can go near the Singularity so it's not like they can take advantage, he's not sure it's wise to give more information than necessary. For people who believe in the power of the Singularity, it sending Summoned back could indicate it doesn't want there. He's paranoid. They both know that.

Istredd creates another illusion around them but this one is subtle, it wouldn't be picked up easily by anyone walking by or even the woman herself. Anything being handed over wouldn't be obvious to a passerby, that's the best he can do to protect her interests. But he doesn't want to scare her by making it obvious.

He pulls out the log first and offers it to her. For now it isn't working, so as not to startle. "With an incantation I wrote down with it, the log will be set on fire but not burn anything that it's on top of or around it. I amplified a heating spell on top of it so it will be able to heat your home in any hard winters coming ahead. You turn it off with the reverse incantation, which I also wrote down." It's not as if everyone knows his level of magic but it shouldn't be that hard to follow.

The fact he isn't suspiciously looking around them should be a clue to Lucifer what he did with the illusion, although he can probably sense it too. Istredd then pulls out the pouch they gathered of funds and gives it to Lucifer to give to her. It is his compensation after all.

Other than the knowledge Istredd specifically gleamed on his trip to its physical location, Lucifer doesn't particularly care about what random potentially true fact he drops about the Singularity. Even he doesn't trust it as fact; nothing is fact even when proven, but he'll at least acknowledge Istredd with a hum.

It's neither agreement nor denial.

They should be reminded sometimes the dangers of their big ~~dumb~~ rock that they maybe worship and/or hopefully respect.

His second hum of acknowledgement is for the illusion, a sort of good idea implied.

He takes the pouch and holds it open towards her so that she can see the contents if hearing the weight of the jingle wasn't enough.

"Nothing we give will make up for the loss of your husband," he says as he hands over the pouch after she accepts the log.

It's when they're both in her grasp some of her expression cracks away to gratitude, like she had expected that despite their words they'd really just come up with nothing. That it was Just Words.

"I didn't stop thinking about getting here. But I hope this helps. He'd talked about you, before..." Before he died and by talked about... WELL.

I never liked the whole 'Your Loved One's Name Here' is looking over you. Other than it being... wrong, it seems needlessly cruel to think they can't just pass on.

Which is a bit of his way of saying 'I should say something flowery here' but 'I think it's dumb and I have my limits' but they probably need some kind of parting statement.

Edited 2023-05-13 15:57 (UTC)

Istredd has said a few times that none of them really know what the Singularity is or what it's capable of doing or if it's responsible. As he told Geralt, never assume he's speaking in facts, only in theories or guesses. He still thinks it's best not to spread information about the Singularity, true or not. Even when reporting to Ambrose about the Singularity trip they were fairly neutral about it.

He can tell that despite everything, it does actually seem to land for the woman and giving her something was better than nothing. Lucifer was right. The log was a good addition to the money, a longer lasting gesture. He glances over at Lucifer at that part, since he has no idea what the religious mindset is about the afterlife here.

"I don't know if there is any solace in knowing your husband was trying to do a good thing, and that all of us who were taken, Summoned and citizens alike, were helped by his actions." Technically not, technically the sea monster meant nothing to the end goal, but it did cross something off for them as a potential location. So big picture, it was.

"If you ever need an additional enchantment or to strengthen the one on there, you can contact me, Istredd, at Castle Thorne." It is very unlikely to fade any time soon, but he likes to be thorough.

Lucifer mentally waves him off. He doesn't know the afterlife views here either, he's just always stuck on the views and misconceptions from home.

The lake trip did help to a point, because it pushed them closer to the north in their assessment of location. There was a reason the creature relocated.

"Thank you, both of you," she says, the sincerity there despite the way her eyes slide away briefly at the mention of Castle Thorne. "I'm sure this will do just fine."

Don't push her for more, is the first actual warning Lucifer gives, nearly sharp.

"We won't take up anymore of your time," Lucifer says, and this time he has to fight for his fake smile. He's already patting Istredd on the arm, leading him away and allowing the woman to retreat back into her home.

So Nott's doing just fine. That's sarcasm. More happy than ever that we didn't get Thorne directly involved with helping her. She would have combusted on the spot.

Istredd bows his head respectfully to her, having also noticed that glance away, and he didn't plan on pushing more. Lingering would only continue the pain, and she has the log and money now. He follows Lucifer without argument, musing on it himself.

I suppose I can't be surprised that they would loathe the crown with how little they care about this place or its people. Istredd of all people understands well, as he's already explained he dealt with villagers who welcomed a conquerer when he gave them an easier lifestyle. Life was hard on the continent, he could hardly blame them for seeing a bad person as a hero for giving them food when they were starving.

There is no conquerer here that can take over Thornee, so Nott has no option for that. They simply have to continue existing as best as they can. Istredd frowns as they walk. His instinct, as always, is to be helpful. Just as he wanted to save the elves however he could, his heart does go out to Nott and the civilians there.

I tried to save as many of the natives as I could. We all did. But there were so many dead, and no one searched for them. Josselyn said the cult hadn't been in action very long, but if they hadn't captured Summoned, they probably could have continued killing civilians.

Of course taking the Summoned was the entire point of the plan, so she could try and steal their connection to the Singularity, but it doesn't change how bad that is for the others. Istredd is Istredd, so he feels a momentary sense of guilt.

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