These things happen

"Peasse to you, sser," Chay is saying. The sith-makar stands near a cart. Rather, he sits on it. The papers behind him are wittled down to a bare few. He wears a long and heavy duster, its coloration deep green, as the deepest jungles of Am'shere.

The man he's talking with is an arvek--a farmer--who nods in kind, and hustles on by. Azog is looking left and right, clearly searching for something, or someone. His height gives him an advantage, of not so much here as it does in the city proper. But eventually he spots Chay and makes his way towards the Sith.

Menel is just beside the sith-makar, smiling at the arvek until the other leaves and then spots Azog as the huge half-ourch heads toward them. The swordsman crosses his arms over his chest, relaxing back against the wall of the nearest structure and looks at Chay. He gives a little nod shift of his head toward Azog and settles his weight firmly on the balls of his feet. "Incoming."

"Sser?" Chay asks Menel. The sith-makar looks over to the oruch as he approaches. He seems to relax on his perch on the cart, though a sharp eye might notice a tightening of muscles. A shifting of position before he drops to the earth. "Did you need a paper, sser? We have the latesst from the Alessandrian Tribune, sser."

Azog looks puzzled at the mention of paper, but says, "No. I get that up at the Temple." Of Angoron, of course, which is where he spends most of his time, when he's in the city. "Though one of my brothers suggested that I come find you." Relax, yes, good plan. He hesitates. "I do not understand Alexandrian customs," he explains. "But it was suggested to me that I seek you out. After what happened a few weeks ago."

The swordsman off to the side makes a choked sound, eyeing Azog. "One of your brothers suggested you seek him out?" Menel’s tone suggests that he is surprised by this fact. "I'm surprised that you want to talk to him at all."

"...the plague, sser?" Chay asks. His hand thumb goes to the pocket of his coat, and rests there. "One has done ssome work for the healers, sser, but one's role is ssmall compared to those who have dedicated their lives to ssuch things." He regards Azog with a slow blink. A thump of the tail before he glances briefly to Menel and then back again. "Sstill sser, one is glad to meet a ssservant of the Light, sser."

Azog nods to Menel. "It is not ... well, there is no custom, that I know of, for visiting the dead that walk again," he explains to Chay. "But I have come to see you, to see that you are indeed well. Indeed, you are looking much better than when I saw you last." He shakes his head. "Not about the plague, no. The last time I saw you, that villain was trying to drag you off, and you were killed by the human woman warrior. I am glad that you have not let that slow you down."

Menel's eyes flicker to Chay, a little worry tereh. He's... uncertain, but his blue eyes fall back on Azog and there's definite disapproval in his features. He flashes a grim smile and then rolls his shoulders. It's a smile that's clearly not really a smile at all. "I've heard a bit more about that plague myself. Just was talking to Mikilos about it the other day. I think I might be able to help him figure out the cure. Or part of it maybe?" He doesn't sound all that sure.

"Sser," is the words Chay uses. He looks at Azog, not looking away. At length ... "Thank you for asking, sser. One has found a place among the temple, sser. And, one has learned ssomething of the heartss of others. ...this one ssugests," he ventures, "That had her heart been of Angoron sser, it would not have happened."

Azog hesitates again. "Do not give me too much credit. I had no better plan to free you, no magic that might have swayed his heart or stayed his hand." He shrugs, the giant pauldrons grating. "I am sure you know by now that the villain was tried and convicted. It almost didn't happen, the humans were prepared to let him go because he was smiley and happy at the trial." Azog's Tradespeak does not extend to the correct terms for how the fellow was playing the judge and the court. "But we held firm, and in the end, he was forced to confess his crimes in whole. Or as whole as they could wring out of him."

Menel presses his lips together, his eyes twinkling with mirth that lasts until Azog speaks again and then lasts a little longer. Up until Azog starts to critisise the system of laws in Alexandria. Then the mirth fades quickly. His lips part briefly but he shakes his head and decides for now to keep his thoughts to himself.

"One was at the trial, sser. This one heard his testimony, and that of otherss, sser," the sith-makar says, and looks to Azog for a time. Then, "And one is glad to hear it, sser. Had he esscaped, sser, ssurely there would have been another case, sser. If nothing else, the Vardamen were betrayed onsse, sser, in ressent memory."

Azog nods about Chay being at the trial. "I didn't think to talk to you again," he explains, "since it seemed you were doing all right. But it has been explained to me," as many things need to be explained to Azog, who is slow when it comes to cultural niceties, "that I should see you myself and express my gratitude that you are still with us. I regret that you died, but in doing so, it allowed us to apprehend the villian. And since you are with us now, it seems there is no permanent harm done. But I wish to inform you that I wish it could have beeb done without you having to die."

Now... Menel's brow is furrowed and his usually sky-blue eyes darkened. He's not usually, or at all really prone to anger, but there are a few things which Menel can not abide. "Alright?" He huffs out a breath to calm himself and glances briefly skyward as though to ask for some help here. "You say you regret that he died, but immediately justify it. He shouldn't have died in the first place. I told you that before, and if necessary I'll tell it to you again. You can't just wave off the fact that he was killed because he's here now."

Chay looks from one to the other, and goes quiet. One hear a quiet symbol clanging overhead--a rush of quiet so loud it may as well be thunder. Surprise.

"..." he starts to say. He looks to the horizon. The quiet thunder slowly fades, and with it, he regathers his ability to...respond. "This one would have preferred not to die, ssers. Above all, one would have preferred to be assked, in those few sseconds. When one was a sslave--"

He tries again. "...when one was a sslave, ssers, one had no choisse. When one's companion chosse to take my life--sshe treated me no better than the Charneth. One had no choisse--it was taken from me. I ssuppose ssers--it is why one resspects Angoron. A god of freedom, of heroess of those who have none. One sserves Gilead now, and yet... And you, sser. Thank you for coming here--desspite. Desspite your words in the trial, sser," to Azog. So he had heard. Well...that explains the wariness, would it?

"...but ssers. One would like to, would earnesstly wish to, lay this to resst, ssers."

Azog eyes Menel, and says, "I did not justify it. By telling him that some good came out of it, I had hoped to make /him/ feel better about it. If you will judge me for a crime, though, so be it. I will depart the city and never return. I had hoped that there was some way to apprehend that villain without anyone getting hurt, but I had no better plan. But neither was it I that struck the blow, and if you want to imply I did, then you are the villain here, not me." He goes on, "You tell me I can't wave it off, but he -is- here now. His loved ones don't have to grieve, his chihuahua, if he's gone one, isn't alone." He looks contrite to Chay, and says, "I regret that this caused you distress. I understand it a little better now, and I understand that choice is important. I harbor you no ill will, and I -do- regret that it came to that. /And/ that it was done without asking your leave." He glowers at Menel, and says to Chay, "I would lay it to rest if he will."

"It is not my place to lay it to rest or not." His words are true, but his blue eyes show his disapproval. It's in every line of his body. "Chay, if you will; I think it is well past time for us to move along to our next location." He offers a thin memory of a smile. "I had some treats I wanted to hand out to some of the kids around here." And money if he can sneak it to them.

One is not having this conversaaaaatiooooon. Chay looks quiet a moment, as he regards the two of them. "Thank you both, ssers. Your words resstore ssome of this one's...faith, ssers, in ssoftskins." Chay says. "I..."

"This one..." More quickly. "This one has a few papers to ssell, ssers. An obligation to the Tribune, ssers. And then...and then ssers, one understands one's kin is...is visiting. The hunter-caste are coming to Alessandria," he says. "This one sshall be glad to sssee them."

Noooot having this conversation. Nope. Nope nope nope. Nooooooope!

Azog says to Chay, "I hope the visit with your kin is a good one." He glares at Menel, but says, "If it's not your place to lay it to rest, why are you giving me such grief over it? Don't go on my account, I was just leaving." With a final, "Peace on your nest," to Chay, he'll turn on his heel and depart.

-End