[ More sober; ] I don't have to tell you that leaving the Western Approach one man down wasn't an easy decision to make. Or really a decision at all. I was glad to hear you'd made it out in one piece.
( There's a bit of a pause, not quite awkward, as he weighs up how to reply. )
What we were there to do was more important than one man, and making sure the rest of you got away clean, 'specially those that aren't Wardens? That was more important than one man, too.
( Duty, maybe some honour. He doesn't think about it too much. )
I made that decision for the rest of you, and... I don't regret it, but it seems to have left a few people shook up.
Yes, yes, grim noble sacrifice for the greater good. Needs of the many, and such. I'm getting that about you Wardens.
[ Not to be dismissive about your suicidal efforts to save them all, Hercules. There's a warm curl in Dorian's voice that belies airy verbal handwaving. ]
I've been in enough battles to know the kinds of decisions that have to be made in a moment, and anyone who admonishes you for that likely has not. It doesn't make it much easier to swallow, anyway, to fail at rescue, to pack up and travel back east.
[ To tell the girl waiting back home, but Dorian keeps this to himself for the moment. ]
( It's like it's their entire purpose or something idk )
We're a bunch of dramatic bastards, yeah. You'll have to take it up a level to keep up with us.
( Dorian seems like a good sort, mind, and though his sense of humour is understated at best at the present moment, something of a smile works its way into his tone. )
Can't imagine it would. I'd probably have taken it pretty poorly, myself. ( Things being necessary rarely lines up with them being pleasant, and Herc's not above being a bit of a hypocrite from time to time. ) Least I got to skip the whole bit with setting up a new camp.
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( He still has a sense of humour, quietly. Very quietly. )
Been back here a couple days. Not sure how long I've been out of a dungeon, I got stuck in the desert for a time.
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( There's a bit of a pause, not quite awkward, as he weighs up how to reply. )
What we were there to do was more important than one man, and making sure the rest of you got away clean, 'specially those that aren't Wardens? That was more important than one man, too.
( Duty, maybe some honour. He doesn't think about it too much. )
I made that decision for the rest of you, and... I don't regret it, but it seems to have left a few people shook up.
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[ Not to be dismissive about your suicidal efforts to save them all, Hercules. There's a warm curl in Dorian's voice that belies airy verbal handwaving. ]
I've been in enough battles to know the kinds of decisions that have to be made in a moment, and anyone who admonishes you for that likely has not. It doesn't make it much easier to swallow, anyway, to fail at rescue, to pack up and travel back east.
[ To tell the girl waiting back home, but Dorian keeps this to himself for the moment. ]
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We're a bunch of dramatic bastards, yeah. You'll have to take it up a level to keep up with us.
( Dorian seems like a good sort, mind, and though his sense of humour is understated at best at the present moment, something of a smile works its way into his tone. )
Can't imagine it would. I'd probably have taken it pretty poorly, myself. ( Things being necessary rarely lines up with them being pleasant, and Herc's not above being a bit of a hypocrite from time to time. ) Least I got to skip the whole bit with setting up a new camp.