β a less trusting person might think this all sounds very suspicious. β
β you say all the right words, but iβm not sure you mean the right things. β
β i know somewhere quiet. somewhere intimate. somewhere we canβ¦indulge in each other. β
β eugh, donβt be nice to me. it makes me want to be nice back. β
β we neednβt be enemies. thereβs plenty of those to go around already. β
β thereβs a steeliness to you, an unwavering tenacity in the face of, to be frank, quite dire odds. β
β even the waves of fate can break upon the shores of will. β
β i appreciate anyone that opens a conversation with threats of bodily harm. β
β oh, you know me - ever the optimist. iβm trying to focus on the positives. β
β iβm not easily impressed by people, but youβre stronger than i gave you credit for. β
β thereβs an air about you. something alien. β
β loosen the grip on your pride for one blasted moment, wonβt you? β
β itβs been a long time since someone stuck their neck out for me like that. β
β thereβs something odd about this village. people skulk around like theyβve something to hide. β
β you know, if you want to spend time with me, you only have to say so. β
β i want to know what the world sees when it looks at me. what you see. β
β whatβs better than a devil you donβt know? a devil you do. β
β you must know that youβreβ¦that youβre very special to me. β
β the gods are nothing if not vindictive in their vengeance. β
β stay with me a while, will you? day will come all too soon. β
β hereβs my little treat with their cheeks all flushed. β
β i am terrified. i will not claim otherwise. β
β my apologies. iβm not quite myself yet. i had the strangest dream last night. β
β we didnβt die today. tomorrow, perhaps. but not today. β
β leaderβs need to make tough decisions. we do what we must. β
β i think that unknowable powers come with unknowable consequences. β
β iβve had a lifetimeβs fill of watching little men puff themselves up with grand titles. β
β in these times, all we can trust are the blades in our hands. β
β itβs not easy to turn away from one you once loved. β
β much has been promised to you, hasnβt it? but what has been taken from you? β
β damn it all. i can do nothing right - not a damn thing. β
β every instinct i have tells me that nothingβs changed. that iβm still just a means to an end. β
β do not speak of a story you only know the half of. β
β i dreamt every night that youβd come back to me. that somehow it was all a nightmare dawn would undo. β
β when the time comes to strike, you must take it. for there may be only one chance. β
β your eyes. there is pain, endless and deep. but also devotion - blazing like the sun. β
β youβre adorable even when youβre teasing me. β
β i donβt need your help, and i donβt need your pity. β
β iβm more than what i was. and iβm not afraid of anything any more. β
β i said exactly what i meant: i love you. you should never, never doubt that. β
β this is all like some sort of terrible dream. but itβs real, isnβt it? β
β there is no redemption. canβt you see? it is too late. β
β i donβt know that it was brave. i just know that it was right. β
β you took those bastards down like it was nothing. itβ¦was amazing. β
β they underestimated me. so they paid the price. β
β we fight, we die, and we just hope that when our time comes, there is someone else to take our place. β
β unfortunately for me, youβre my friend. rescuing you from mortal peril is my right. β
β what did you think i was going to say? 'oh, come here, i'll kiss you better'? β
β flowers are so overrated. they're bright, gaudy, and almost never make good poisons. β
β iβve been lied to, my whole life. and i was gullible enough to just believe it. β
β you know, i never pictured myself as a hero. never thought i'd be the one they toast for saving so many lives. and now that i'm hereβ¦i hate it. β
β you know, i feel a connection between us. like we're two souls walking the same path. β
β the forgiving sort, are you? you should be careful. plenty would take advantage of that. β
β itβs as if god made you just to ruin me. β
β perish the thought. every word i said was nothing less than true. β
β you have a manner of irresistible desperation about you. i like it. β
β i got my eye on you. you got the look of a troublemaker. β
β iβm starting to think youβre my guardian angel. β
β it seems you know me better than i know myself. β
β youβ¦you have no idea what youβve done. β
β they say madness and genius are separated by but a hairβs breadth. perhaps the same is true of madness and stupidity. β
β oh, itβs you. donβt you get tired of telling people how to live their lives? β
β good morning! thank you for not killing me the other night. β
β when the time comes to strike, you must take it. for there may be only one chance. β
β it is good to savour the moment of victory - but pace bg3 syourself. our fight is just beginning. β
β i was too hasty to judge you. i thought you were witless, gutless, unimpressivably blandβ¦ β
β yours is the first happy face iβve seen in a good while. β
β when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair β thatβs when youβll come knocking on my door. β
β thank you, my friend. maybe weβll meet again, in another life. β
β youβll regret sticking your nose in my business. β