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[3/3]
The trek back to the surface is long but thankfully uneventful. You can tell by the complete lack of sunlight in previous uncovered chasms that it is well after dark, and you have to take care navigating these collapsed ruins by torchlight alone. A long day indeed.
<span class="mu-i">“Milord. What that lady witch said about yon archer.”</span> Your squire sidles up to you quietly, the stirring Jess still bundled in Brother Rousseau’s arms several paces behind you. <span class="mu-i">“About ‘em not being human and all…”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“You caught that, did you?”</span> You respond absentmindedly, truth be told you had been giving what she said some thought yourself.
<span class="mu-i">“Yeah, when I wasn’t busy trying to figure out where the heck a body is supposed to stab a moving pile of weaponised laundry.”</span> Mikail frowns, then shakes his head and gets back to his original topic. <span class="mu-i">“Now a lowborn squire ain’t one well spotted to speak on odd choices for companions, I know that. A girl archer is weird alright but if she can shoot she can shoot, yeah? But…”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“But?”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“Well, remember we picked ‘em up in Fallavon? They is more than a mite odd, sire. Spooky like… with the…”</span> Mikail gives you a look, the kind of look that is best expressed with the supplement of a helpless shrug of the shoulders and meaningful raised eyebrows <span class="mu-i">“Well what if… you know.”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“Mikail.”</span> You sigh with exasperation, knowing exactly what the boy is getting at. <span class="mu-i">“You’re going to have to speak to me in complete sentences.”</span>
<span class="mu-i">“Sorry, milord.”</span> Mikail pauses, then blurts in a terribly audible whisper that Brother Rousseau must certainly also be able to hear. <span class="mu-i">“I mean what if they do got some of that Fae blood in ‘em? A changeling, like!”</span>
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> “You overstep, young squire of mine. I will no more entertain your concern as to her place in our party as I would consider any misgivings she might have about you. That is not your place, either of you.” As your squire Mikail is an extension of your own person, and you direct him to treat her with every respect going forward as if she were any other sworn man. [Divine]
> “You really shouldn’t place much stock in the words of a foreign enchantress, lad. It will rot your head.” You assure your squire by dismissing the theories of the Rogue Medusae as the ramblings of a mad sorceress. Besides, if what the Rogue Medusae said is true then there is a high chance your companions will struggle to recall much of the details of that conversation soon enough. [Hearty]
> “I am well aware of what Jess is, Mikail. And what she is, Fae-blood or no, is one of us.” You attempt to persuade Mikail to look past the differences that have him worried. Jess the Kid might not ever be truly accepted by most of those she comes across, but you can at least try to convince your companions to accept her and perhaps go beyond respect and into genuine friendship. [Idealist]
