07.Sep.19, 12:05 AM
Of course, of course R’dal had no idea what he was talking about, why would he, he was an oblivious weyrbrat who’d grown up in a jungle, he knew nothing of lords. But he was living here now, and he needed to, or he would get hurt and F’drel couldn’t bear that. What if R’dal being so open and trusting led to a lord taking advantage of him, hurt him so much he was never the same, became more like F’drel? No, it couldn’t be allowed to happen.
Except now R’dal was near tears because of him, which made everything worse. F’drel wasn’t trying to make him cry, he just wanted to keep R’dal safe!
“I’m not mad at you, I’m afraid,” F’drel snapped, trying not to glare. It never fully registered to him how his fear tended to manifest as anger. But it was never anger at R’dal, not really, F’drel’s anger was for the lord he’d pulled R’dal away from, for every lord who thought they could do whatever the fuck they wanted, for his lord, for fucking all of it.
“He didn’t want to be your friend, R’dal, he wanted to take advantage of you, and you wouldn’t have noticed until it was too late.” He bit out the words, the knowledge they were still in a public place keeping his voice from rising above a normal speaking volume. F’drel didn’t want to make R’dal upset but he didn’t understand, and he had to. He had to make him understand.
Except now R’dal was near tears because of him, which made everything worse. F’drel wasn’t trying to make him cry, he just wanted to keep R’dal safe!
“I’m not mad at you, I’m afraid,” F’drel snapped, trying not to glare. It never fully registered to him how his fear tended to manifest as anger. But it was never anger at R’dal, not really, F’drel’s anger was for the lord he’d pulled R’dal away from, for every lord who thought they could do whatever the fuck they wanted, for his lord, for fucking all of it.
“He didn’t want to be your friend, R’dal, he wanted to take advantage of you, and you wouldn’t have noticed until it was too late.” He bit out the words, the knowledge they were still in a public place keeping his voice from rising above a normal speaking volume. F’drel didn’t want to make R’dal upset but he didn’t understand, and he had to. He had to make him understand.