#debukefarmhold

"Stubborn old rock."

"Yeah... I have never spoken to any of the elders like that in my life" He says "Am I shaking? I think I'm shaking"

"Well, he deserved worse for what he's stuck on. Stuck in his head, not even thinking, just reacting."

"All I could think of was that, this is Uncle Emmit, he's wise he knows everything... how can I be the one in the right again?"

"Feh."

"Nobody knows everything."

"You sure? Maybe deep in the Dreaming, there's an ancient powerful sluagh... who knows evereerry thing... and she's very vexed because the world ran out of mystery?" A smile attempt

"Nope, not even then."

"I respect Emmitt, but he has blind spots."

"And a very broken idea of what honor is, if he thinks keeping this secret is it."

"No, no, his ..ideas of honor aren't broken.. they're ..just bent under the weight of the guilt that he wasn't there to stop it. As for Harvald, I don't know.. MAYBE a chicanery Cantrip backfired and drove him wild with lust and rage that wasn't his own... MAYBE.. maybe he didn't see who he thought... or maybe Harvald just lost to his own inner demons and did one act that was pure evil however we want to spin it... but he's dead. He'll be reborn free of it. .. and the Living Can't be slaves to the dead. Not their good names, not their honor, not anything. Clem wants us to move forward on somethings while holding to the good- she's a good chief, but... first we have to make sure we don't confuse pride or guilt for honor. We need..awareness. "

"Right."

"And he's saying to protect Harvald's honor - but reputation ISN'T honor. A lot of dishonorable things are done in the name of someone's 'good name.' Like, oh, forced marriages, or killing someone who has been shamed."

He takes her hand "Yes."

Sigh. "grotto?"

"Grotto" And they head off. She can feel his weariness, not just in glamour but his will. That fight might have been one of the bravest things he's done ever, or at least a long time

(End scene)