"Yer an ambitious bugger, I'll give you that."
The straw-haired Highlander sat upon a crate, perilously near to the sharp drop off of Highbridge. He didn't seem bothered at all by it, however -- clearly it was something he did frequently enough to have been accustomed. Berrod Armstrong stood nearby with arms folded, dressed in his usual black leathers. The wind carried the slight musk of exertion off into the canyon -- it had been a longer trip from Little Ala Mhigo than he had thought. "Who else would do it?" He asked calmly.
"Who else? Hells if I know, but people aren't just gonna bow and scrape and thank ye fer savin' them. You better'n most know how proud those bastards get." There was a note of derision in the other Highlander's tone, but he kept it minimal for Berrod's sake. "Besides. That's too big. Way too big. Yer jus' street dirt refugee trash, Berry. That's all anybody is gonna bring up when ya make yer move. An' what about that company ye got huh? Ye gonna use that as a front fer what ye got planned?"
The red-haired man shook his head. "No, it's not going to be like that. I have my responsibilities there, and I take them seriously. I don't intend to use them for my purposes and if I do, I'll make sure they're paid from my own pocket." He paused and folded his arms across his broad chest. "But the influence is useful. I'll definitely use it to as collateral when I'm ready."
A cold breeze swept up from the canyon, whipping the tied tail at the back of Berrod's head. The other Highlander experienced a much less orderly sweeping of his straw-colored locks. When the wind died down, the poor fellow had to brush the coarse strands from in front of his tanned face. "Ye can't do it by yerself," He warned.Â
"Which is why I'll rally them around me. It's about high time that we united, don't you think?" The other man's action caused him to unconsciously run his hand through his own hair, "The enemy can't be driven out by scattered, prideful and begrudging fools who cling to what is lost. We need to build anew, acquire the aid of allies, and then push forward. Abandon hopes of taking back what is no longer there. We will take what -is- there, raze it, and build anew. The first step is getting people to see that, one at a time."
"That'll take lifetimes, Berrod -- it's crazy."
"Which is why I ought to start when I'm young."
"It'll never happen."
"Only if I don't try."
Another gust of wind harrassed them, rendering them in a silent arrangement of agreed disagreement. "I want the best for our people as anyone else, Berrod but --"Â
"Then join me. Help me."
The other Highlander quieted for a moment before he mumbled meekly, "I'm okay where I am. I got a wife now, and two lil' pickneys ta feed. I found me a life."
It was Berrod's turn to remain quiet -- his expression was impassive, and gave off the impression of being hewn of solid stone. Finally, he spoke and turned on a heel. "I see. I won't take up any more of your time. I need to go find my ward and head back to Ul'Dah."
As he left, the other Highlander tossed a plea behind the leather-harnessed back. "Berrod -- jus' remember this. Ye got it good now. Settle down an' live yer life. Yer jus' a normal fella. Men like you ain't meant fer greatness. Jus' stay normal. Goin' after somethin' so big is gonna bring everybody down on ya before it even gets off the ground. Think o'yerself."
The departing highlander stopped and turned his head slightly, not to face the other, but only to grant a sliver of his profile. "I do think of myself, Berndulf. And I want my homeland back."
The straw-haired Highlander sat upon a crate, perilously near to the sharp drop off of Highbridge. He didn't seem bothered at all by it, however -- clearly it was something he did frequently enough to have been accustomed. Berrod Armstrong stood nearby with arms folded, dressed in his usual black leathers. The wind carried the slight musk of exertion off into the canyon -- it had been a longer trip from Little Ala Mhigo than he had thought. "Who else would do it?" He asked calmly.
"Who else? Hells if I know, but people aren't just gonna bow and scrape and thank ye fer savin' them. You better'n most know how proud those bastards get." There was a note of derision in the other Highlander's tone, but he kept it minimal for Berrod's sake. "Besides. That's too big. Way too big. Yer jus' street dirt refugee trash, Berry. That's all anybody is gonna bring up when ya make yer move. An' what about that company ye got huh? Ye gonna use that as a front fer what ye got planned?"
The red-haired man shook his head. "No, it's not going to be like that. I have my responsibilities there, and I take them seriously. I don't intend to use them for my purposes and if I do, I'll make sure they're paid from my own pocket." He paused and folded his arms across his broad chest. "But the influence is useful. I'll definitely use it to as collateral when I'm ready."
A cold breeze swept up from the canyon, whipping the tied tail at the back of Berrod's head. The other Highlander experienced a much less orderly sweeping of his straw-colored locks. When the wind died down, the poor fellow had to brush the coarse strands from in front of his tanned face. "Ye can't do it by yerself," He warned.Â
"Which is why I'll rally them around me. It's about high time that we united, don't you think?" The other man's action caused him to unconsciously run his hand through his own hair, "The enemy can't be driven out by scattered, prideful and begrudging fools who cling to what is lost. We need to build anew, acquire the aid of allies, and then push forward. Abandon hopes of taking back what is no longer there. We will take what -is- there, raze it, and build anew. The first step is getting people to see that, one at a time."
"That'll take lifetimes, Berrod -- it's crazy."
"Which is why I ought to start when I'm young."
"It'll never happen."
"Only if I don't try."
Another gust of wind harrassed them, rendering them in a silent arrangement of agreed disagreement. "I want the best for our people as anyone else, Berrod but --"Â
"Then join me. Help me."
The other Highlander quieted for a moment before he mumbled meekly, "I'm okay where I am. I got a wife now, and two lil' pickneys ta feed. I found me a life."
It was Berrod's turn to remain quiet -- his expression was impassive, and gave off the impression of being hewn of solid stone. Finally, he spoke and turned on a heel. "I see. I won't take up any more of your time. I need to go find my ward and head back to Ul'Dah."
As he left, the other Highlander tossed a plea behind the leather-harnessed back. "Berrod -- jus' remember this. Ye got it good now. Settle down an' live yer life. Yer jus' a normal fella. Men like you ain't meant fer greatness. Jus' stay normal. Goin' after somethin' so big is gonna bring everybody down on ya before it even gets off the ground. Think o'yerself."
The departing highlander stopped and turned his head slightly, not to face the other, but only to grant a sliver of his profile. "I do think of myself, Berndulf. And I want my homeland back."
![[Image: tumblr_ojgu7zoaag1robwlio1_540.png]](https://68.media.tumblr.com/80be4033cdf57fb6268473ef9ce37db6/tumblr_ojgu7zoaag1robwlio1_540.png)
