The Miqo'te paced. Over and over he paced.
"I love you."
The words were said prematurely. Kage was sure Natalie was ready to die. In fact... he was sure that she was still ready to die.
"Tired? Of what? Of living?"
"Maybe"
Tears slipped down Kage's face as he remembered the events. Seeing Roen as she was. The utter looks of contempt and hatred everyone had. Hatred for someone who did all she could think of for one she wanted to protect and love. He knew the troubles best intentions had. Was it not Kage who had ended up being the catalyst for Roen's confession? The confrontation within the Night Blades' Headquarters?
And yet everyone wanted to condemn her. Condemn Natalie. Not the ones who actually did... whatever was done to Roen and Mergrey. Natalie had never placed an armed bomb within Ul'dah. Natalie had never killed multiple Ala Mhigan Resistance fighters. Well, just the one that had shot an arrow into Roen... In fact, Kage had killed more people than Natalie. Kage had killed the Blades in the underground tunnel leading to Gharen's prison, for fear that Taeros would rain retribution among all of them. Natalie, Roen, Gharen, Melkire..Â
He grit his teeth as he stared down at his hands, remembering the copper smell of blood. He closed his eyes.
"You witnessed it... I want her to hang... I want reform... I need Roen."
The cool stone basin did nothing to clear the warmth that weighed him down.Â
Who did he have but just Natalie?
"Tired? Of what? Of living?"Â "Maybe" They echoed inside his head.
Perhaps Ul'dah was turning him into what he had thought he never would. The machinations... the backstabbing... the politics. No wonder Natalie was tired of it. No wonder Natalie had said those words. Roen didn't deserve a life in Ul'dah and was not her new family in Limsa? She was better off this way.
But now, what could they do? Natalie seemed resigned. It wrecked him. It wrecked Kage to think of it. Natalie seemed so fatigued and she was so willingly... so willing to die even after Roen was... safe. After Roen was away from Crim.
But who? Who now? Who could they use?
...
Taeros.
Jameson Taeros.
Now that it was only Natalie... Anything. Everything. For Natalie.
Even if it is that stupid fop.
"I love you."
The words were said prematurely. Kage was sure Natalie was ready to die. In fact... he was sure that she was still ready to die.
"Tired? Of what? Of living?"
"Maybe"
Tears slipped down Kage's face as he remembered the events. Seeing Roen as she was. The utter looks of contempt and hatred everyone had. Hatred for someone who did all she could think of for one she wanted to protect and love. He knew the troubles best intentions had. Was it not Kage who had ended up being the catalyst for Roen's confession? The confrontation within the Night Blades' Headquarters?
And yet everyone wanted to condemn her. Condemn Natalie. Not the ones who actually did... whatever was done to Roen and Mergrey. Natalie had never placed an armed bomb within Ul'dah. Natalie had never killed multiple Ala Mhigan Resistance fighters. Well, just the one that had shot an arrow into Roen... In fact, Kage had killed more people than Natalie. Kage had killed the Blades in the underground tunnel leading to Gharen's prison, for fear that Taeros would rain retribution among all of them. Natalie, Roen, Gharen, Melkire..Â
He grit his teeth as he stared down at his hands, remembering the copper smell of blood. He closed his eyes.
"You witnessed it... I want her to hang... I want reform... I need Roen."
The cool stone basin did nothing to clear the warmth that weighed him down.Â
Who did he have but just Natalie?
"Tired? Of what? Of living?"Â "Maybe" They echoed inside his head.
Perhaps Ul'dah was turning him into what he had thought he never would. The machinations... the backstabbing... the politics. No wonder Natalie was tired of it. No wonder Natalie had said those words. Roen didn't deserve a life in Ul'dah and was not her new family in Limsa? She was better off this way.
But now, what could they do? Natalie seemed resigned. It wrecked him. It wrecked Kage to think of it. Natalie seemed so fatigued and she was so willingly... so willing to die even after Roen was... safe. After Roen was away from Crim.
But who? Who now? Who could they use?
...
Taeros.
Jameson Taeros.
Now that it was only Natalie... Anything. Everything. For Natalie.
Even if it is that stupid fop.
