09-04-2013, 10:05 AM
While the others branched off to follow the leaders of their respective branches, Garona took her place just off to the side near Aragorn and Thrall. Her choice was the lesser of the evils, although there were other choices that would have made more sense given her profession. However, the more she thought of her decision, the more she wondered if this was a sign that it was time to change her ways. Perhaps she could use her skills in ways that were more beneficial than murdering for the sake of selfish gains. Or playing someone’s lapdog. She’d always felt something akin to remorse after each kill; it never left a pleasant taste in her mouth, especially when those kills involved children.
She was never proud of herself for those jobs.
Her gaze roved over the hodgepodge of alien creatures, her eyes coming to rest on one in particular. The man with the hair of fire and the skin of the Forsaken made her own skin crawl. There was something about him that didn’t sit right with her; maybe it was just something about his appearance that unsettled her so, or those smooth-as-silk speeches he made. They seemed so…manufactured.
Call it a hunch, but she was willing to bet that he had other motives than just getting into the good graces of those around him. Trust is betrayal. Betrayal is death, she thought. She trusted no one other than herself, of course, but there had been times when she was not so careful and it ended up almost costing her her life. It was a hard-earned lesson, but the adage had stuck with her since her last near-fatal encounter.
Despite her own misgivings about trusting others, there was no reason why she shouldn’t think he was being disingenuous. She didn’t know what he had done before he arrived, and he hadn’t treated them anything less than with cordiality. The only thing she held against him was his failure to step forward, do the honorable thing, and accompany her or, hell, anyone else, in investigating a potential danger. It was considered cowardice amongst the Orcs. Perhaps it was different for his people. After all, the Orcs weren’t known to make decisions that had their preservation in mind. They typically acted first before thinking it out, but that was behavior usually reserved for the peons, not the higher echelons of clan government. Usually.
After a long while of observing, she waited a short time more before peeling off from her chosen faction to approach Ganondorf. There was a compulsion she felt that forced her to approach him, her face blanking as she closed in. “Ganondorf,” she growled, and watched him turn to face her, a pleasant, passive expression passing over his features as he greeted her in that sickly sweet manner she’d become too quickly accustomed to.
“Garona, right?” He gave a slight bow, as he extended a hand towards her, an invitation she ignored. She snorted derisively at his gesture, and he withdrew. Something passed through his strangely colored eyes, but it quickly vanished.
“Names aren’t important;” she said. “I couldn’t help but overhear your latest speech.”
Ganondorf paled just a little, but his composure never faltered. Point for him. His voice dropped so that only she could hear, and replied, “We cannot trust these strangers, my lady. They offer false promises and security, but why else would they be here, fully armed, some with their own small armies, if they didn’t intend us harm?”
Garona thought for a moment, recalling Thrall’s warning. “The Orc who stands with Aragorn had told me things were going to get dangerous.”
“Which is exactly why they cannot be trusted,” Ganon’s voice had the edge of a hiss, but he hid it well. “They wish to enslave us, to fawn their power over us. If the others wish to follow that path, then so be it, but I will not. If you see the fallacy of following a stranger’s shining promises in hopes of living a peaceable existence, then perhaps I could convince you to follow me, instead.”
“No,” she said flatly.
Ganondorf’s thick brows lifted, surprised.
Garona’s expression darkened as she caught and held his cooling gaze. “The truth of the matter is, we do not know if there is any other way out of here except through them. The one known as Bradley is arrogant and seems to be a dishonorable man. He blatantly disrespects another clan leader, something that is very undiplomatic. It was something I hated about my own people, and nothing good ever came from such attitudes. Aragorn, however, maintained a peaceful attitude, and remained respectful, even in such a situation. He never faltered. A chief who has the best interest of others in mind displays similar behaviors. The other…” her eyes travelled to the one known as Dredd, and caught sight of one of the newcomers who had managed to get himself into trouble not even an hour of arriving. “The other just seems like a prick.”
Ganon chuckled. “Do you regret your decision?”
Garona shook her head. “What is there to regret?” She returned his smile, but it wasn’t nearly as warm as his. “I plan to explore as much of this new realm as possible, starting with his first. If it is as destitute as the others have alluded, then it wouldn’t be too difficult to do what needs doing.”
The corners of his lips lifted as he asked, “And what is that, my lady?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would.”
Garona snickered. “Ganondorf, I do not much care for fancy speeches or shit like that, something you seem to be very good at. Something all three of these others seem to also be good at. Do you see a connection with my logic?” He observed her quietly, not even bothering to respond. “I don’t give two shits what you think, or what you can promise me, just the same as I do not care about what they can give me. I do not trust you as far as I could throw you…no, I take that back. I could probably throw you pretty far if I wanted to.”
He bristled, prepared to respond, but she cut him off before he could even start. “It could have been very different had you not displayed such cowardice in the face of a possible danger. You call yourself a king, but I have never met a king who sat back while somebody else too it upon themselves to investigate trouble. A real king not only protects those lesser than him, but he goes in head first. Tell me, creature, what is your excuse?”
She was never proud of herself for those jobs.
Her gaze roved over the hodgepodge of alien creatures, her eyes coming to rest on one in particular. The man with the hair of fire and the skin of the Forsaken made her own skin crawl. There was something about him that didn’t sit right with her; maybe it was just something about his appearance that unsettled her so, or those smooth-as-silk speeches he made. They seemed so…manufactured.
Call it a hunch, but she was willing to bet that he had other motives than just getting into the good graces of those around him. Trust is betrayal. Betrayal is death, she thought. She trusted no one other than herself, of course, but there had been times when she was not so careful and it ended up almost costing her her life. It was a hard-earned lesson, but the adage had stuck with her since her last near-fatal encounter.
Despite her own misgivings about trusting others, there was no reason why she shouldn’t think he was being disingenuous. She didn’t know what he had done before he arrived, and he hadn’t treated them anything less than with cordiality. The only thing she held against him was his failure to step forward, do the honorable thing, and accompany her or, hell, anyone else, in investigating a potential danger. It was considered cowardice amongst the Orcs. Perhaps it was different for his people. After all, the Orcs weren’t known to make decisions that had their preservation in mind. They typically acted first before thinking it out, but that was behavior usually reserved for the peons, not the higher echelons of clan government. Usually.
After a long while of observing, she waited a short time more before peeling off from her chosen faction to approach Ganondorf. There was a compulsion she felt that forced her to approach him, her face blanking as she closed in. “Ganondorf,” she growled, and watched him turn to face her, a pleasant, passive expression passing over his features as he greeted her in that sickly sweet manner she’d become too quickly accustomed to.
“Garona, right?” He gave a slight bow, as he extended a hand towards her, an invitation she ignored. She snorted derisively at his gesture, and he withdrew. Something passed through his strangely colored eyes, but it quickly vanished.
“Names aren’t important;” she said. “I couldn’t help but overhear your latest speech.”
Ganondorf paled just a little, but his composure never faltered. Point for him. His voice dropped so that only she could hear, and replied, “We cannot trust these strangers, my lady. They offer false promises and security, but why else would they be here, fully armed, some with their own small armies, if they didn’t intend us harm?”
Garona thought for a moment, recalling Thrall’s warning. “The Orc who stands with Aragorn had told me things were going to get dangerous.”
“Which is exactly why they cannot be trusted,” Ganon’s voice had the edge of a hiss, but he hid it well. “They wish to enslave us, to fawn their power over us. If the others wish to follow that path, then so be it, but I will not. If you see the fallacy of following a stranger’s shining promises in hopes of living a peaceable existence, then perhaps I could convince you to follow me, instead.”
“No,” she said flatly.
Ganondorf’s thick brows lifted, surprised.
Garona’s expression darkened as she caught and held his cooling gaze. “The truth of the matter is, we do not know if there is any other way out of here except through them. The one known as Bradley is arrogant and seems to be a dishonorable man. He blatantly disrespects another clan leader, something that is very undiplomatic. It was something I hated about my own people, and nothing good ever came from such attitudes. Aragorn, however, maintained a peaceful attitude, and remained respectful, even in such a situation. He never faltered. A chief who has the best interest of others in mind displays similar behaviors. The other…” her eyes travelled to the one known as Dredd, and caught sight of one of the newcomers who had managed to get himself into trouble not even an hour of arriving. “The other just seems like a prick.”
Ganon chuckled. “Do you regret your decision?”
Garona shook her head. “What is there to regret?” She returned his smile, but it wasn’t nearly as warm as his. “I plan to explore as much of this new realm as possible, starting with his first. If it is as destitute as the others have alluded, then it wouldn’t be too difficult to do what needs doing.”
The corners of his lips lifted as he asked, “And what is that, my lady?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I would.”
Garona snickered. “Ganondorf, I do not much care for fancy speeches or shit like that, something you seem to be very good at. Something all three of these others seem to also be good at. Do you see a connection with my logic?” He observed her quietly, not even bothering to respond. “I don’t give two shits what you think, or what you can promise me, just the same as I do not care about what they can give me. I do not trust you as far as I could throw you…no, I take that back. I could probably throw you pretty far if I wanted to.”
He bristled, prepared to respond, but she cut him off before he could even start. “It could have been very different had you not displayed such cowardice in the face of a possible danger. You call yourself a king, but I have never met a king who sat back while somebody else too it upon themselves to investigate trouble. A real king not only protects those lesser than him, but he goes in head first. Tell me, creature, what is your excuse?”
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