The Let's Play Archive

Siege of Avalon

by Klingon w Bowl Cut

Part 4: Update III - Goondalf the G(entleman) (2)

Part III - Goondalf the G(entleman) (2)

The thread has decided to be kind by a pretty wide margin, so--



I’m afraid that I do not understand. Why do you not just speak with her then?

Lahren: I’ve already rejected her, don’t you see? I cannot just go talk to her. She probably hates me, and thinks I hate her.

Spirit’s sake, why did you reject her?

Lahren: I knew her for months, and we were great friends. Except that I… dislike magic. Intensely. And then I learned she was a mage. I didn’t handle it well.

What’s to dislike about magic? It’s merely a tool that we can use, like a hammer or—



I figure it would be a dick move to offer to show the guy who just said he intensely dislikes magic our awesome power, so I’ll forego a vote for this choice.

I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry.

Lahren: Nothing to forgive. How could you know? From my time as a mage I know that magic is nothing more and nothing less than a tool--in my head, at least. But that night it was my heart that ruled my actions. Even today it hurts to really think about magic, but my head is beginning to win out over my heart, on this subject anyway. The thanks for this are due in no small part to her, actually. It was only after I realized that being away from her hurt so damn much that something occurred to me. Perhaps--all unknowingly, to be sure!--but perhaps I had begun to consider her as more than a friend quite some time ago. Perhaps love for her was slowly filling my heart and slowly driving everything else out.

So go tell her that.

Lahren: I can’t, damn your eyes! I just can’t!

And so your fear keeps you here, miserable and alone. Is asking for forgiveness really so difficult?

Lahren: Aye…

What’s her name?

Lahren: What?

I said, what’s her name?

Lahren: Why do you want to know that?

Consider it a good deed. Consider it a favor. Consider it repayment for prior acts of unkindness on my part. Consider it anything you like, but I mean to talk to this woman of yours, and steal yo girldiscover her mind on this matter.

Lahren: Are you mad? You can’t just ask her—

Think you that I’m a callous brute? Think you that I have no sense of subtlety? I can engage her in innocent conversation well enough, I assure you. And I can bring the subject ‘round to love with great finesse. It is a subject most women favor, anyway, and all it would cost me is a bit of my own history, in exchange for a bit of hers. And then you would have your answer.



Pell. On my honor, I will seek her out for you and we will know the heart of the matter. Until later, my friend. Be patient a while longer.

Back over to Pell with this information.



He loves you, lady. No question.

Thank the spirits. Perhaps I’ve not ruined everything after all.

He is also in pain, much like you--if you’ll forgive me saying so, lady.

Yes, perhaps that is what I have been sensing.

I cannot, of course, speak to that. However, I can say that his feelings for you have at least tempered his aversion to magic. Did you know that he was once a mage?

Yes, though not directly from him. Did he by chance tell you…?

Why he abandoned the art? No.



He is afraid, lady. Of rejection, or perhaps that you would not forgive him his foolish actions.

He was always too willing to shoulder blame exclusively, damn him. Does he not know that I kept my heritage deliberately secret from him? The fault lies as much with me as it does him. Think you that I could approach without provoking a poor reaction?

No, lady. I believe that would be a bad idea. Love has made him a coward before the thought of you and I imagine were he to see you approach, he would again flee. It is a sad irony that in this instance he would be running from the pain of love, rather than from any fear of you, but he would flee nonetheless.

And what, then, would you suggest?

Truth be told, lady, I know not. It is a quandary--if you cannot approach him, then he must approach you, but he insists vehemently that he cannot. He purports to seek an answer, but in his heart I think he believes he already knows it, and it is that you hate him.

You are saying, then, that even were you to tell him that I love him still, he would not believe you?

I’m afraid so, lady, yes. He has no confidence in anything anymore, least of all himself.

Then I am lost.

No, lady. I will not surrender just yet. Even if he would not accept a report of your love, he would accept a report of your anger easily enough. And if he will not approach you to proclaim his love, perhaps I can guide him into approaching to beg your forgiveness.

Know you already how to do this?

I regret not--it is something that I shall have to consider carefully.



Have faith, lady. I will not fail.


Alright, what’s the best way to approach this?



This is slightly different from the last one, since this isn’t about how we feel about Lahren, so I think it’s worth a quick vote. This will be the last one for this quest, since the two combined should give me enough guidance for the rest of the choices.

Edit: It looks like telling Lahren that Pell loves him has won! See update below.