The start of a beautiful ... well, something. (peerface x eldarface)

Del’ure considered Jack’s words for a while, trying to imagine what life would be like if people such as this guard, who was only a lapdog in the end, had a say in what was going on. The island would definitely undergo a huge change, and he for one wasn’t convinced he would like that change. Of course, the world wasn’t perfect the way it was, but he made it pretty awesome for himself and didn’t want anyone or anything to interfere with that. Bending to someone else’s will wasn’t his cup of tea.

“Travelling will most likely be over, yes. Doing what we want, will be over. Having freedom will be over. I know life has not been kind to you and you hardly think anything happening on the island has done you any good, ever, which I guess is true. But I’m not sure their way is the way to go either. But yes, they do have justice, which makes it a little more interesting again. Their system will be rigid. From the little we’ve seen tonight, that is the only assumption I can make. Rigid and orderly. The idea of going against your master would be unthinkable to them, thus, I imagine a few strong leaders with the rest following like lambs and carrying out their orders.”

He was aware that he was making this sound really bad but he wasn’t sure what to think about all of this. Freedom was what he valued, and with freedom came free will. Blindly following rules and orders like willing lambs was not an option to someone like him. Sighing, he replied to Jack’s hesitant question about the position of the individual people. “There are no good or bad guys in this. There are only two sides with two different views on things. Some consider the natives the bad guys, some consider the invaders the bad guys. It’s a matter of personal opinion, but in my opinion, neither are the good or the bad ones. They simply are two sides to a coin.”

Finishing off the rest of the food on his plate before taking a large gulp from his ale, Del’ure suddenly looked at Jack questioningly. “Where are you going with all this? What do you have in mind?”

Jack looked after the door the guards exited out of, and bit his lip. "I... well... Look.. this is going to sound crazy, but I think maybe that order and rigidness might be what the land needs. Maybe... hopefully... it'll maybe keep other people from experiencing what I experienced, you know? Take care of the homeless beggars out there... put a new leader in charge and put a few more eyes on those stupid nobles who just fritter away their hours, being all high and mighty..." He grit his teeth a bit and glared at the table, still apparently feeling very strongly about what had happened to him in his life before Del'ure. It enraged him to think about.

He looked up at Delure a little shyly, like he was nervous about something. "But... I really don't want to leave you either," he admitted. Not that it was much of a confession. Jack was always pretty obvious when it came to staying by Del'ure's side. "And I really do like the adventures we have, travelling around. Del'ure.... you're really the only family I ever had. You made life worth living. I guess.... I feel..." What DID he feel? He tightened his lips and looked at the table again as he tried to sort it out. "... But ... not everybody out there like me has a person to save them, like you. I feel like... I was able to get out of my rut thanks to somebody else.... I feel like I should be able to help other people do the same. I don't want to say that it's like I OWE them, because it's not really like that. It's like I want to do for them what you did for me. Does that make sense? I just dont' know how... and maybe instilling a better system and better leadership into the cities... maybe that's what this nation needs."

Del’ure may not be one to abide by general rules and orders, but Jack did have a point. Maybe a bit of rigidness might just be what Dragons’ Cove needed. Or maybe not all of the islands but specifically those nobles the boy was talking about. It was true, they were using their time to count their money and increase their riches but they hardly ever did anything for the greater good of the people anymore. Their magnanimous gestures of throwing a feast every now and then simply wasn’t enough and only provided further reason for the people to hate them.

He looked at the boy, curiously cocking his head to the side as he listened to Jack trying to get some order and sense into his own words. Truthfully, Del’ure had never considered things in the way Jack did but the youth was right. Not everybody was as lucky to have someone help them out of a tight spot and the man still didn’t know why he had even done it himself because generally he wouldn’t really have given a damn, at least not for such a long time in a row. And yet, here he was, already contemplating how to get them into the new army if only so Jack could fulfil his dream and Del’ure could have his back in case things went awry.

“I can understand where the sentiment comes from and it is a noble cause. Maybe you’re right. Maybe what the island needs is a little bit of a decent order instead of being ruled by a council full of fat hypocrites who care nothing for the others but only for their own power. Maybe we really do need a change.” He kept silent however about his doubt that this new army was the way to go about it. Putting his elbows on the table and leaning towards Jack in a confidential manner, he continued: “If you want to go, I am not going to stand in your way. You don’t owe me anything. I hope you know that. But maybe I’ll just have to come with you to make sure you’re not getting yourself into trouble again by not knowing when to stop talking,” he added with a grin spreading across his face.

Jack had started to look quite Crestfallen when Del'ure had said something about not standing in his way. It was a tearing thing, to want to fix the world, and to not want to leave his only friend and companion. But the doubt, uncertainty, and sorrow was fast replaced when Del'ure mentioned that he would come with him. He immediately perked up - so much that he stood completely and slapped his hands on the table with Triumph, his eyes wide and his smile very bright.

"Del'ure," he said with confidence, "You and I, we're going to make things right in this world, no matter what it takes. We're going to be heroes."

Now, to say that Jack was even capable of loving Del'ure even more was really a lie - he had already reached the maximum respect for Del'ure when Del'ure had saved his sorry ass to begin with. Even so, there was still somehow a new elation and a new respect and a new affection for his hero that just was the cherry on the cake. It wouldn't be long now before he and Del'ure were riding with the new army and purging the political corruption out of this damned country.

He offered a bold and excited hand to Del'ure, to seal a new goal. Nothing was going to stop them now.

Del’ure grinned at his young companion. ‘Delusional. Completely delusional, but refreshingly so,’ he thought with a slight shake of his head as he observed Jack’s reaction. The huge puppy eyes turning their sad look into one of exhilaration about their future plans of heroically rescuing Dragons’ Cove from the depths of its self-imposed misery – or so it seemed. He understood Jack’s point of view, he really did, and he could only admire his will to really make changes happen, whether he himself felt as secure in this endeavour or not.

Gripping the hand the youth extended to him, Del’ure nodded and raised his mug with the other hand, in turn extending it to Jack. “To the future.” ‘Whatever it may bring us.’

The winds of change were blowing, that was for certain, Del’ure only wondered how much he was going to have to do with it all. He would keep an eye on Jack, because he somehow had grown attached to the boy, but Del’ure wasn’t sure he was going to do much more than that. Ideally, he would be able to keep himself out of any conflicts as much as possible. It would suit him best, for as much as he liked trickery and action in their own right, he wasn’t one for fighting other people’s battles.

He was no hero, and he certainly didn’t feel like acting as one.
Only time would tell what would come of their decision.

» Arasolra --:> How Beautiful is your Pain?