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@whereshadowsfall
[She chews her lip.] Let me think about it. It’s not something I’m ready to agree to just because you want it. Or because anyone else wants it, either.
Have to at least consider what kind of fall out this could cause.
The consideration is appreciated.
Now. I do have a few short-term projects that might whet your appetite.
If you weren't an assassin, what do you think you'd be doing with your life?
I would be dead, probably.
in order of skill, who are the best assassins in the brotherhood right now?
Well, me.
Order is arbitrary. Skills measure differently. I wouldn’t send Kriijo to hit a noblewoman at a gala, for example. That’s up Maksim’s alley. You see where I’m going with this.
My best and brightest know for damn sure who they are.
I’m not here for the money. You know that. I’m barely here for the Brotherhood’s ideals itself. I follow you, and I haven’t given you reason to think I’d bail, but I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool assassin.
Whatever you were planning to add to pay me for compensating for me not taking a mission here and there would be better put to saving up for when this war moves on and we’re not getting contracts out the ass. [She grimaces.] Or for expanding the Sanctuaries outward.
I don’t know, Az. I don’t know what I could do better in charge than what I’m doing now. I already have hardly any time to do what I’m actually here for ‘cause I have to deal with keeping everyone from going off the walls half the time.
I thought it might sweeten the pot.
[He closes in a little, his voice quieting some to compensate for their proximity. He’s not used to asking nicely for things.]
After everything that’s gone on in the span of a few months, do you think I haven’t gone over this a thousand times? You’re it, Brielle. You’re my biggest investment, you’re my first choice, you’re my friend and you damn well know it.
I see promise in you. Always have. If you won’t do it for the Brotherhood, do it for me.
I work better as your buffer if I’m not actually in charge.
Plus a host of other reasons I could think of, including the fact that I’m one of our shittiest assassins, realistically.
It isn’t a negative for you to be based here. If you’re not out on contracts, you’re here doing your job.
For which, might I add, there will be a considerable pay raise.
I’m not sure if I should be anything more than what I am, at least officially.
Why?
[Brielle frowns, unsure.] Flattered as I am, maybe we should iron out what that’d mean. Helping you out is far and away different from trying to operate without you.
I’m aware. I needed to gauge your interest, first. If not you, I’ll have to come up with an entirely different plan.
We’ll start with a few new responsibilities here and there. Get your feet wet. But I want you to be my second, so think it over.
Promote me? [There’s more incredulity in her voice than anything else.] Promote me to what?
The position doesn’t exist yet. It’d be... made up specifically for you.
The short version, Bri, is I think you’re a leader. I want you equipped to run the show if anything happens to me.
Around here? Ah…Getting the initiates into a practical schedule, getting non-initiates on a schedule, too. People shouldn’t go to Nazir when they want a contract, contracts should be assigned to people as soon as we get them. Nazir might need help with that if it’s getting to be too much.
Alesha might have needs, I don’t know.
We…need to take care of that bandit thing, too, as much as I’ve avoided it.
[Az nods.] All that and more.
I’ve been working numbers and semantics around in my head and it’s all noise. As long as you’re agreeing to talk to me, I might as well tell you what I’ve kept coming back to.
I want to promote you.
[She, in turn, resists the snapped comeback to the gap between his expression and his words. If he can try, she can try.]
You said you were trying to work on things. What do you need help with?
So very many irritating errands.
But let me ask you, first: what do you see around here that needs attention?
I want to resolve…this, without us fighting.
[Az curls his lip like he wants to snap an unkind comeback, but he licks his teeth instead. He can do it.]
That’s fair.
[He brightens.] Really? Well, to be honest, she’s already functioning in that role, anyway. Everyone goes to her before they come to you. You’d really just be making it official. The role suits her.
My thoughts exactly.
That’s all I needed, really. Good talk.
[He blinks, both flattered at being asked and surprised at the question.] I respect Brielle. We all do.
Are you promoting her?
If she’ll accept.
Considering the incidents we’ve had to deal with recently, it would be stupid not to restructure things around here. If you all happen to agree that Brielle would make an excellent leader, it only helps.
I’ve no doubts that you’ll steer him into line. He tries.
He has no idea, yet, what it is to try. [A smirk.]
Listen, before I forget. I’m going on a brief errand in the next few days, and I’d be interested to know what you thought about answering to Brielle for the duration.
That’d probably be for the best. I’ll take what I can get; Felnyx is– [He stops himself, not wishing to speak ill.] …A lot.
Don’t overextend yourself before you know what you’re dealing with.
Newcomers are difficult. He’ll learn his place. [It isn’t a reassurance so much as it is a cold certainty; Az does not suffer fools.]
[He clears his throat to hide his smirk, and then quickly gathers himself back together.] I can’t promise that I’ll be my best, but I won’t know until I try. I’ve been practicing with the hand. [He flexes his fingers.] It will never be the same, but it’s better. I can grip just fine. And draw a straight line, incidentally.
Good. Nazir has extra contracts backlogged that usually go out to initiates, if you’d like to start small and feel things out.
You’ll do fine.
[He can’t help but allow himself a little grin.] Really? What sort?
Don’t push it.
