Guards and Order

[Solras, The Protector]

A shrug, a tinge of embarassment

"Turns out I don't have much of a sense of direction outside of a city." Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch replies softly.

Yeah...... she got lost.... yep.

[Father Lelldorin]

Lelldorin's eyebrows raise a little. "I see..." That's several hundred miles difference... I presume she realized her mistake partway and decided to continue on regardless but still, that is impressive in a bad sort of way. 

[Solras, The Protector]

He doesn't believe me.... not that I blame him, that's barely a quarter of the truth. It is true, but nowhere near the whole truth.

"There.... there is more to the reason, but I cannot tell it without betraying the trust of another. I... I will not betray that trust."

[Father Lelldorin]

"Admirable of you to most," the priest says, a small smile forming. "So I will simply ask- of both of you- are you content?"

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch blinks and opens her mouth to answer. then she closes her mouth and tilts her head thinking.

she had thought she was content but...  no, that's not right is it? she cannot go a shift without seeing some example of bigotry or racism that she.... must ignore... That is not contentment. that is not right.

[Wylde]

"Mostly," says Wylde, sounding dubious. 

[Solras, The Protector]

After another long moment Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch finally speaks her answer.

"No. This place has an illness. Those that have means act with cruelty to those that do not. The mob has great fear and hatred for the other here, which arises from the concerns and prejudices of the members. I want to heal this illness, to mend the soul of this city."

[Wylde]

"Uh, that's -- that's a little above our pay grade, Solras," says Wylde, shifting with discomfort. 

[Solras, The Protector]

A shrug from Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch.

So? Just because something's hard, or even all but impossible, that doesn't mean it's not the right thing to do.

[Wylde]

"I mean, it's not our job to fix the system, just to keep things working. If Vallen wants to tackle that kind of stuff, I'm sure she'll point us in the right direction. Right? I mean, really, we're just... we're not adventurers, we're not vigilantes, we're just guards. Right? So it'd be wrong to intervene, right?"

She sounds like she's trying to convince herself more than Solras. Odd, that. 

[Father Lelldorin]

Father Lelldorin doesn't say a word, but simply pours them both a cup of fragrant tea. Something brightly floral, but with a hint of spiciness to it.  Makes sense, black tea is rather expensive, and it's clear that this church isn't exactly well sponsored.

[Solras, The Protector]

Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch shakes her head slightly at Wylde's reaction.

"Wrong? If I cause harm to a child, even if I do it to save three children from that same harm, is that wrong? I don't know, that is an answer for the philosophers. What I do know is the weight of that harm on my core that I caused is the same regardless of if it was right or wrong. But what if i watch someone harm another, I watch and do nothing to stop them, I may be powerless to stop them, but i do not make the attempt, Is that wrong? That, I think is wrong, and the weight of that wrongness weighs heavily on my core. I would not accept that weight upon the me that is within, not when I could yet do something to improve matters. I may fail, but I must make the attempt."

Quite the speech from the little dwarf, and all the more unsettling for the fire of conviction in her eyes and the completely calm monotone with which she speaks.

[Wylde]

"There's a chain of command for a reason," protests Wylde. "The clever ones, the brave ones, and the strong ones get to be in charge. Weaklings like us do as we're told. That's how it works. We should bring this to Vallen. She'll sort it out. They'll come up with a plan, a good plan, and we can carry it out and fix things. That's how it works. Right?"

[Solras, The Protector]

"Weaklings?" Solras, Daughter of Umdor, and Elder Private of the Watch asks "Since when have you been a weakling? You do yourself injustice with that assessment."

There's no scorn in her voice, but given her facial expression that's got to be an artifact of her speech impediment.

"Bring this to Vallen if you must, but I'll not wait for those that she must answer to to decide that action should be taken. Politicans and aristocrats are the same everywhere, by the time things get bad enough that they decide to act, it's too late for those at the bottom."

[Wylde]

"I mean -- not weak exactly but -- you know -- little guys like us. Underlings."