[ silverash has surprised him, he thinks. the paleroche clan. kaveh hadn't expected an answer. he has heard of the clan; the debrief had mentioned as such. formal and religious and conservative. the head-lopping is new, though kaveh supposes that in lands locked in ice, there has to be some kind of blood-letting ritual wherever. in the snowfields of sami, at least the priestesses protected you with their lives after they bled you, but only after they ascertained you weren't better off being fed to their demons. it didn't make kaveh feel any better, but having names to put to faces helps, in a way. you knew when to dim yourself so that others will not chase.
you couldn't build a bridge without knowing who wanted it burnt down, after all. ]
You have little to worry about that. The Kjerag faith is real; I've seen it in your sister Cliffheart's eyes. I needn't more proof to believe.
Oh, whether or not you acknowledge the Kjerag faith as real is of no importance to me. [especially when his faith itself may or may not exist, depending on when he needs to fall back to it. if kjeragandr judges him, that's between him and her.
he just doesn't pray, or serve. not with what he had to sacrifice to it in order to preserve the remaining clan members after the deaths of his parents. who he was forced to sacrifice.
enciodes sighs, uncrossing his legs to put the previously lower one above, and sets his empty glass down to lace his fingers together.]
What is important to me... is that you don't do anything that they would consider an insult. Kjerag has a long way to go with tolerating other points of view about religion-- and perhaps we even took a step back, given our religious leader and political leader are one and the same. Execution is considered an acceptable recompense for any negative comments about faith.
[absolute power in a single hand is dangerous. he can only be relieved that such power is enya's.]
[ like the slow scrape of sandpaper, kaveh thinks. it is not always so coarse. at its finest, the grains upon its surface can be measured in micro-milimetres. the human skin can barely feel it at such a size, but it depends on where it is applied, and how. kaveh realises just what had scraped up against him just now with inner precision. it's of no real importance to me, silverash says, and kaveh thinks of the love in cliffheart's eyes as she speaks of her sister. he thinks of the gray-coated men with their leathery, weathered faces. he realises - that in this, the candid admission, the swerve from emotion to tactic, silverash reminds him a little of alhaitham.
drinking suddenly goes from a little inadvisable to extremely inadvisable. the urge to argue back scrapes along the back of his mouth. kaveh swallows it, and then with another mouthful of wine to make it go down smooth. and then, he smiles. ]
Consider me warned. [ with contrition: ] I apologise if my earlier actions at the train station had a trickle-down effect onto your household, Mister Silverash. You have my word that I will take care, in this and in future dealings.
I've spent years making sure that the clan's defenses against my enemies are foolproof. [physically, politically... even geographically. then he pauses-- kaveh seems to care quite a bit about enciodes' sisters, and while unneeded, he appreciates this still.]
Should a fight break out, Cliffheart is at Rhodes Island, and Pramanix is untouchable.
So, worry not, Master Architect, and just make the most of your time here.
[ it's an insular definition of untouchable. it's a definition of untouchable that divides the world in two - his family, his affairs, and the rest. it's not a perspective that kaveh would take issue to. he knows cliffheart, after all.
kaveh breathes out. ]
When Mister Silverash has put it that way, how can I not? [ whispers in the dark, warnings in front of a hearth. kaveh finally puts down his glass, and stretches. his toes curl. ] Ah, it's getting late. I shouldn't take up more of your time. Might I be excused?
[enciodes can pick up what kaveh is putting down-- and not putting down. perhaps the man is still mostly a stranger to him... but enciodes has always been quick on the uptake. not many people on rhodes island can say the same, but when they can, they're quite significant.]
I'll accompany you to your room.
[the snow leopard unfolds his legs, placing his glass down and rising to his feet in unhurried motions. very graceful, every movement effortless.]
After all, I'm your guard now. [and he smirks, as if sharing an inside joke.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
you couldn't build a bridge without knowing who wanted it burnt down, after all. ]
You have little to worry about that. The Kjerag faith is real; I've seen it in your sister Cliffheart's eyes. I needn't more proof to believe.
She loves Kjerag.
no subject
he just doesn't pray, or serve. not with what he had to sacrifice to it in order to preserve the remaining clan members after the deaths of his parents. who he was forced to sacrifice.
enciodes sighs, uncrossing his legs to put the previously lower one above, and sets his empty glass down to lace his fingers together.]
What is important to me... is that you don't do anything that they would consider an insult. Kjerag has a long way to go with tolerating other points of view about religion-- and perhaps we even took a step back, given our religious leader and political leader are one and the same. Execution is considered an acceptable recompense for any negative comments about faith.
[absolute power in a single hand is dangerous. he can only be relieved that such power is enya's.]
no subject
drinking suddenly goes from a little inadvisable to extremely inadvisable. the urge to argue back scrapes along the back of his mouth. kaveh swallows it, and then with another mouthful of wine to make it go down smooth. and then, he smiles. ]
Consider me warned. [ with contrition: ] I apologise if my earlier actions at the train station had a trickle-down effect onto your household, Mister Silverash. You have my word that I will take care, in this and in future dealings.
no subject
I've spent years making sure that the clan's defenses against my enemies are foolproof. [physically, politically... even geographically. then he pauses-- kaveh seems to care quite a bit about enciodes' sisters, and while unneeded, he appreciates this still.]
Should a fight break out, Cliffheart is at Rhodes Island, and Pramanix is untouchable.
So, worry not, Master Architect, and just make the most of your time here.
no subject
kaveh breathes out. ]
When Mister Silverash has put it that way, how can I not? [ whispers in the dark, warnings in front of a hearth. kaveh finally puts down his glass, and stretches. his toes curl. ] Ah, it's getting late. I shouldn't take up more of your time. Might I be excused?
no subject
I'll accompany you to your room.
[the snow leopard unfolds his legs, placing his glass down and rising to his feet in unhurried motions. very graceful, every movement effortless.]
After all, I'm your guard now. [and he smirks, as if sharing an inside joke.]