You blink at Chadley.
Mairèad says: Yer 'round Stormwind lots more lately.
Chadley blinks at you.
You smile at Chadley.
Chadley says: I am? I am! How about that.
Mairèad chuckles and aims a light punch at Chadley's gut. "An' we ent caught up since y'been back neither. 'ow's yer trainin' goin'?"
Chadley catches her arm before it contacts his gut. "Fine, I guess." He steps back and opens his hand, releasing her arm.
Mairèad raises an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Better'n fine if you kin stop me from punchin' you. Y'din' used t'be able t'do that." She sounds proud as she says this, though. "Wanna go fer a walk somewhar? Cathedral's nuts lately."
Mairèad says: 'less y'like people what fink morals judge you after death.
Chadley says: I was just going to... I mean. Sure. Yeah, I guess it's not too late.
Chadley stares at the ground.
Mairèad frowns slightly. "What is it? Y'a'righ'?"
Chadley looks up. "Me? No, I'm fine! Are we walking, or what?"
Mairèad says: ...yahar. C'mon, y'wanna go out by th'pond be'ind the Cathedral?
Chadley says: Guess that's an alright place.
Mairèad chuckles and shakes her head, turning to walk. "...jest don' make eye contact, 'specially if they look like they're dyin' or possessed."
Chadley says: Is that... normal?
Mairèad nods, grimacing. "Wish it wun'. T'night thar were a sermon inside an' some lass fainted."
Chadley says: Why are we going this way.
Chadley says: This is the graveyard.
Mairèad says: 'tis. I's peaceful, though. Y'wanna jest sit over thar, near th' gaz'bo fin'?
Chadley says: Let's just...
Chadley wanders over to a bench.
Mairèad smiles at Chadley a bit oddly as he sits, almost as if she's trying to hold in a laugh. "Y'know, e'en though I ent used t'seein' you this often, i's still weird not 'avin' you 'round th'city."
Chadley says: I wouldn't think so. We hardly saw each other anyway. And tell me what's so funny.
Mairèad shrugs a shoulder, smiling more widely. "I'd jest esspected that we'd fin'lly git t'see each ovver more often, livin' nearby now. An'...y'look like summun I know."
Chadley raises an eyebrow. "That poor bastard. And I apologize for being absent. Training is... time-consuming."
Mairèad says: I know. Time-consumin' fer me, too. Stehlfire said 'e'd seen y'round, though, an' said y'two talked. Almos' a shame 'e ent yer trainer.
Chadley says: ... No, I- I think I'd lose my mind if that were to happen.
Mairèad says: Rilly? 'e said that th'two 'a you 'ad a good talk.
Chadley says: I suppose so. But I still think he'd test my patience beyond its capacity.
Mairèad chuckles, nudging Chadley lightly. "If y'known me 's long's you 'ave an' y'ent given up on life yet, I fink her patience could stand Stehlfire."
Chadley says: No.
Chadley says: Your annoyance pales in comparison to the bullshit that man can endlessly spew.
Mairèad says: I fink 'e does that mos'ly t'try an' git unner yer skin. 'e said that if 'e was trainin' you, 'e'd break you an' then build you back up, stronger.
Mairèad says: An' I'll betcha tha's what 'e's tryin'a do.
Chadley says: ... He's not my trainer, is he.
Mairèad shakes her head. "Nawr. But 'e gotta vested innerest in ya. Whether y'fink so'r not, 'e likes you. More'n 'e likes me, I'd bet."
Chadley says: Why.
Chadley says: I do not stand out in any way.
Chadley says: I am unimportant.
Mairèad says: Because y'got better potenshull'n a lotta us, Chad. You don' fink y'do 'cause yer still tryin'a be summun y'ent.
Mairèad folds her arms across her chest and says, matter-of-factly, "An' I'm a esspert on' doin' that."
Chadley says: Why do people keep telling me that when my only goal is to meet my potential and make something of myself?
Mairèad shrugs slightly and leans her head on Chadley's shoulder for half a second. For her, this is holding back. " 'cause y'keep sayin' y'ent nuffin' speshal. Nuffin' wrong wiff bein' 'umble, but I seen th'way you 'eal people, an' th'way yer dad talks boutchoo, th'sun isself shines outta yer ass."
Chadley rolls his shoulder to remove her head. "Please. The way... my -dad- talks about me?"
Chadley 's sarcasm is immediately dropped for confusion.
Mairèad realizes too late what she's said and shuffles uncomfortably. "Well, I mean. Th'fin' what was yer dad. Y'know th'deader. 's'like a imprint of a person. 'e seems nice, 'nuff. Was 'e nice, yer dad?"
Chadley's eyes close and he taps his knee. He does not look happy. Not like he ever really does anyway, but even less so. "Does it -matter-? You've spoken with him? At length?"
Mairèad says: It does matter 'cause I ent sure 'f what 'm talkin' to's yer dad 'r sumfin' else. An' yahar, I 'ave. I was rill nasty to 'im when I firs' came t'Stormwind an' I been tryin'a repent fer it fer th'Light.
Chadley says: ... It's not worth it, Mairead. You really don't have to.
Mairèad says: Says you. Yer jest a squire, like me. Mr. Crowe said I should, an' 'e's me trainer.
Chadley says: I think most paladins would agree with me.
Mairèad shakes her head, making a face. "Tha's th'weird fin'. I'd agree fer mos' deaders, but Mr. MacGlynn's not a rotted twatwaffle like most 'a them. Also, 'e's wan'ed me t'say hello fer a while na'. So hello."
Chadley's hand releases his knee; he hadn't even realized his fingers were digging in. "I don't particularly acknowledge exceptions. Not of that sort. I'm also uninterested in using you to continue this conversation between us so, thank you for passing on the message. I won't require you to pass on another."
Mairèad's fists clench in her lap. She sits silently for a moment before finally speaking up in a growl. "Do you e'en know ha' fuckin' -lucky- you are, Chad?"
Chadley asks sharply, "Lucky for what?"
Mairèad says: Me dad don' e'en wanna acknowledge that I exist! Soon's 'e found out 'bout me...you were thar, 'e up an' run off. An' th'onleh times I seen 'im since, 'e was makin' sure 'e din' need t'gimme money, like I'm some kinna hoor child.
Mairèad says: Me mam's 'avin' t'threaten 'im wiff stealin' 'is bewwy, jest t'git 'im t'come t'me ordinashun.
Mairèad says: An' 'ere y'are, wiff a dad what -wants- t'be part 'a yer life, an' all you kin do is piss an' moan 'cause 'e ent whatchoo wanna see.
Chadley says: Or hear. Or smell. Or -feel-. I don't care if the corpse makes fucking daisy chains with orphans, it doesn't change -what it is-. A product and practicer of dark magic.
Mairèad says: So're lotsa people. People fuck up, Chad. I ent fergotten what deaders do. I ent fergotten what they are. Butchoo know sumfin', when y'talk like this, yer doin' 's bad's practicin' dark magic. Y'ent showin' compassion at all.
Chadley says: ... I'm tempted to ask superiors myself on the matter. Not like my own opinion will be magically changed should I find I'm incorrect, but I am curious.
Mairèad sags somewhat, slightly relenting, and then decides to go for broke. "Th'fin' what I was gunna aks you t'read at me ordinashun...I aksed yer dad t'write it. If y'don' wanna read that n'more, you kin read sumfin' y'wrote yerself. 'bout compassion."
Chadley says: ... Is that even proper? The words of a deader at a holy ceremony?
Chadley stares you down.
Mairèad says: Th'words of a former palerdin.
Mairèad says: People do that at ordinashuns an' ceremonies alla time. Jest 'cause 'e's writin' 'em na' 'stead 'a 'afore 'e died dun' change that 'e's dead when they're bein' written.
Chadley says: Except practitioners of the unholy have no place-
Chadley sighs at you.
Chadley says: I'll read the stupid thing.
Mairèad lights up; she so was not expecting that. "Y'will?!"
Chadley says: He won't -be- there, will he?
Mairèad says: No. No, 'e'd sizzle up like a piece 'a bacon if 'e were thar.
Chadley 's cheeks twitches. Oh yes, he finds this humorous. "I see."
Mairèad hesitates and then reaches over and kisses Chadley on the cheek in a sisterly sort of manner. "Means a lot t'me thatcher willin' t'do this fer me, Chad. 'sides me mam, yer th'closest fin' t'fambly I got left."
Chadley looks away. "Yeah. No trouble."
No comments:
Post a Comment