[ He has no ground to stand on when it comes to a ruling class member taking more than is needed and leaving little for the rest. That being said, he doubts the royalty here are fundamentally focused on sowing as much discord and disorder in a small amount of time as is possible; his neglect comes from selfishness, foolishness, and is altogether far more boring than playing a long (if cruel) game.
He is interested to know exactly what was fiddled with on Viktor's side that it would inconvenience the prince, but has enough sense for once not to ask and change the subject when they are ostensibly to have a serious conversation.
Neither is there a good way to acknowledge that his knowledge of Viktor was, for long periods, simply cursory. If he did show up in reports and analysis provided by his advisors, it would have been in refugee or casualty or other number projections. It was not until far later that the nameless, faceless viera became relevant, and Emet-Selch had, perhaps unwisely, trusted Lahabrea could handle it. Could handle Viktor. He couldn't, and Emet-Selch isn't quite sure he can, either. If anything, he's proven rather spectacularly he cannot. ]
Feeling things is...rather inconvenient when one has a duty.
[ That is the only allowance he'll make, daring, maybe forcing himself to look over at Viktor, who seems keen on baring his heart to Emet-Selch like he somehow thinks Emet-Selch is worthy, or will know what to do with such a gift. Worse, is the awareness that no matter how raw he must feel hearing it, to feel it must be a thousand, thousand times worse. ]
I do not think it is possible for you to be any stronger.
[ This is not a criticism. Emet-Selch utters the words with an undercurrent of grudging respect. A different sort of strength from what he'd originally considered living through the worst possible events occurring one after another, where one bears the worst in expectation of being able to unwrite later what has happened. Viktor is not even granted that potentiality and yet keeps walking forward.
Leaned against the wall, careful not to accidentally set his robes alight, Emet-Selch crosses his arms and tries to muster a useful response. ]
You needn't temper your reaction each time you are reasonably cross with me.
no subject
[ He has no ground to stand on when it comes to a ruling class member taking more than is needed and leaving little for the rest. That being said, he doubts the royalty here are fundamentally focused on sowing as much discord and disorder in a small amount of time as is possible; his neglect comes from selfishness, foolishness, and is altogether far more boring than playing a long (if cruel) game.
He is interested to know exactly what was fiddled with on Viktor's side that it would inconvenience the prince, but has enough sense for once not to ask and change the subject when they are ostensibly to have a serious conversation.
Neither is there a good way to acknowledge that his knowledge of Viktor was, for long periods, simply cursory. If he did show up in reports and analysis provided by his advisors, it would have been in refugee or casualty or other number projections. It was not until far later that the nameless, faceless viera became relevant, and Emet-Selch had, perhaps unwisely, trusted Lahabrea could handle it. Could handle Viktor. He couldn't, and Emet-Selch isn't quite sure he can, either. If anything, he's proven rather spectacularly he cannot. ]
Feeling things is...rather inconvenient when one has a duty.
[ That is the only allowance he'll make, daring, maybe forcing himself to look over at Viktor, who seems keen on baring his heart to Emet-Selch like he somehow thinks Emet-Selch is worthy, or will know what to do with such a gift. Worse, is the awareness that no matter how raw he must feel hearing it, to feel it must be a thousand, thousand times worse. ]
I do not think it is possible for you to be any stronger.
[ This is not a criticism. Emet-Selch utters the words with an undercurrent of grudging respect. A different sort of strength from what he'd originally considered living through the worst possible events occurring one after another, where one bears the worst in expectation of being able to unwrite later what has happened. Viktor is not even granted that potentiality and yet keeps walking forward.
Leaned against the wall, careful not to accidentally set his robes alight, Emet-Selch crosses his arms and tries to muster a useful response. ]
You needn't temper your reaction each time you are reasonably cross with me.