Guilded Age

The original version of the Auraugu-Gravedust fight was more cut up, and we didn’t get to see him seethe like this; good improvement.

So much for any hope that Naror’Nj coming clean to Syr’Nj about the Bough would heal the rift between them. His failure to mention it until now just shows how differently he and she have still seen each other and themselves: Syr’Nj sees herself as an agent of state– not unreasonably at this point– and that’s serious strategic information to withhold from the ambassador you appointed, however reluctantly. But when she left home, Naror’Nj still saw her as a girl whose dreams outpace her grasp on reality; he hoped she’d burn herself out a bit and then come back, settle down, and admit certain dreams were just dreams. You don’t tell your foolish, impulsive offspring state secrets if you think there’s a risk they’ll blab them in a misguided attempt to buy interracial “friendship.”

Oh, well, I’m sure they’ll have plenty of time to work it out.