Vlast doesn't seem to pay people much mind. It's a careless sort of naivete; the indifference of one who can afford to brush off sour looks without worry. Optics were never Vlast's strong suit; to the Elonians, he was a protector, but one to be wary of. On one hand, he stemmed the tide of Branded and kept Joko and his tyranny to one side of the Elon River. On the other, he had a reputation of being vicious, temperamental and aloof.
...It's going to be an uphill battle for him to understand the underlying source of Benedict's spiral.
"I thought you might like it," he gruffs. "You've seemed... ill at ease, these past days."
...It's going to be an uphill battle for him to understand the underlying source of Benedict's spiral.
"I thought you might like it," he gruffs. "You've seemed... ill at ease, these past days."
"Hm."
A low rumble of acknowledgment before Vlast falls into one of his pensive silences, turning Benedict's words over in his head, inspecting them. Maybe he can infer some hidden detail, but probably not.
"It was, as you say, a mistake, was it not? Or are you believed to have acted maliciously?"
A low rumble of acknowledgment before Vlast falls into one of his pensive silences, turning Benedict's words over in his head, inspecting them. Maybe he can infer some hidden detail, but probably not.
"It was, as you say, a mistake, was it not? Or are you believed to have acted maliciously?"
It's a while before Vlast speaks again, though he at least uses the time to sample some of his own wine.
"Everyone falters," he finally says. "Such is inevitable. Whether one can admit their failures or not is what shows how trustworthy they are."
A platter of breads, cheeses, meats and other accoutrements both sweet and savoury are set down in front of them. Vlast nudges it closer to Benedict because the young human really does look like he needs to eat more.
"How much do you think this blunder will set back Riftwatch...?"
"Everyone falters," he finally says. "Such is inevitable. Whether one can admit their failures or not is what shows how trustworthy they are."
A platter of breads, cheeses, meats and other accoutrements both sweet and savoury are set down in front of them. Vlast nudges it closer to Benedict because the young human really does look like he needs to eat more.
"How much do you think this blunder will set back Riftwatch...?"
Vlast frowns. If it's not something that affects the organization, then how bad could it actually be...?
(Thinks the man who's never had to deal with a single interpersonal problem in his life.)
"If you are honest with her, and she abandons you over such a small thing, then was there truly any bond there at all...?"
(Thinks the man who's never had to deal with a single interpersonal problem in his life.)
"If you are honest with her, and she abandons you over such a small thing, then was there truly any bond there at all...?"
"Yes. We are at war. That tends to happen."
If there is a single person in Riftwatch who has been unaffected by the conflict, he'd be shocked.
"You speak of her trust in you," he says, "but it seems you have little of your own to spare her. Already you have reached the conclusion that she will end things over, as you said, a mistake. How much harm have you actually caused? To me, the scope seems quite small."
If there is a single person in Riftwatch who has been unaffected by the conflict, he'd be shocked.
"You speak of her trust in you," he says, "but it seems you have little of your own to spare her. Already you have reached the conclusion that she will end things over, as you said, a mistake. How much harm have you actually caused? To me, the scope seems quite small."
Vlast's pale yellow eyes remain fixed on Benedict.
"Your only path forward is to speak with her and confront the matter directly," he says. "Then you will be able to tell. However it goes, at least worry will no longer eat you from the inside."
There's a thoughtful frown as Vlast tries to find a logical reason for Benedict to be so afraid of his friend.
"Is she particularly territorial...? I can subdue her first if need be."
"Your only path forward is to speak with her and confront the matter directly," he says. "Then you will be able to tell. However it goes, at least worry will no longer eat you from the inside."
There's a thoughtful frown as Vlast tries to find a logical reason for Benedict to be so afraid of his friend.
"Is she particularly territorial...? I can subdue her first if need be."
It's Vlast's turn to look away with a huffy little exhale.
He's not really sure why that expression on Benedict's face has him so flustered. He is Vlast! The first scion of Glaust! The grandchild of Kralkatorrik! He was in line to inherit the role of an Elder Dragon! Nothing should make him feel flustered like some sort of giddy little hatchling! He's beyond such things!
"Have it your way. If she bites you, you can't say I didn't offer."
He's not really sure why that expression on Benedict's face has him so flustered. He is Vlast! The first scion of Glaust! The grandchild of Kralkatorrik! He was in line to inherit the role of an Elder Dragon! Nothing should make him feel flustered like some sort of giddy little hatchling! He's beyond such things!
"Have it your way. If she bites you, you can't say I didn't offer."
Vlast stares in utter bewilderment at the outburst of laughter (to say nothing of the other tables, startled by the noise).
It's hard for him to tell if what he said was, unintentionally, quite funny or if the stress Benedict has been putting himself under has driven him a little mad.
"Ridiculous," he scoffs, grumbling under his breath as he takes a draught of wine.
But as his lips touch the rim of his glass, there is the faintest hint of a smile - almost as though he's pleased with himself for getting Benedict to laugh again.
It's hard for him to tell if what he said was, unintentionally, quite funny or if the stress Benedict has been putting himself under has driven him a little mad.
"Ridiculous," he scoffs, grumbling under his breath as he takes a draught of wine.
But as his lips touch the rim of his glass, there is the faintest hint of a smile - almost as though he's pleased with himself for getting Benedict to laugh again.
It is a double-edged sword for Benedict that Vlast's very limited experience with interpersonal relationships leaves him rather oblivious to the implications.
On one hand, what Abby biting Clarisse means has flown right over his head. On the other, it's going to take a lot of work to get the rifter qunari to recognize the obvious for what it is.
"...Ah. They're quarreling. Is it over food? Territory? ...No, forget I asked."
He shakes his head. Not his circus, not his monkeys.
"Stop fretting. I already said I won't get involved."
On one hand, what Abby biting Clarisse means has flown right over his head. On the other, it's going to take a lot of work to get the rifter qunari to recognize the obvious for what it is.
"...Ah. They're quarreling. Is it over food? Territory? ...No, forget I asked."
He shakes his head. Not his circus, not his monkeys.
"Stop fretting. I already said I won't get involved."
Vlast's upper lip curls in his confusion and disbelief. Benedict may as well have just said there's such a thing as good hemorrhoids.
Biting is for warding off rivals, it's for catching and killing prey, it's for ripping flesh from bone.
Perhaps in some cases that's good, but only for the victor.
Then again, humans are full of quirks and nuances. Once upon a time, Sadizi had tried to explain, but Vlast had brushed him off when he soon learned that very few of those matters applied to him.
Trapped in this mortal form, Vlast is reconciling with the fact he may have to re-assess.
"Explain."
Biting is for warding off rivals, it's for catching and killing prey, it's for ripping flesh from bone.
Perhaps in some cases that's good, but only for the victor.
Then again, humans are full of quirks and nuances. Once upon a time, Sadizi had tried to explain, but Vlast had brushed him off when he soon learned that very few of those matters applied to him.
Trapped in this mortal form, Vlast is reconciling with the fact he may have to re-assess.
"Explain."
The innocent bite of pastry holds his fascination, at least for a moment. The question hangs in the meantime.
And then Vlast's gaze turns inward.
"We don't."
...Like each other, that is.
Vlast reaches for the bottle, refilling their glasses. It's something to occupy his hands while he tries to find some way to summarize the ongoing conflict with his immediate family.
"Whatever affection endures between my kind decays under the weight of time, duty, or death."
And then Vlast's gaze turns inward.
"We don't."
...Like each other, that is.
Vlast reaches for the bottle, refilling their glasses. It's something to occupy his hands while he tries to find some way to summarize the ongoing conflict with his immediate family.
"Whatever affection endures between my kind decays under the weight of time, duty, or death."
Vlast's bafflement is plain to see on his face.
"Not... like humans. We just - we draw on magic from the Mists. Shape it into another." What an odd question. "What does that have to do with the topic at hand...?"
"Not... like humans. We just - we draw on magic from the Mists. Shape it into another." What an odd question. "What does that have to do with the topic at hand...?"
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