[A faint look of surprise crossed her face- despite the wince Jane had given just moments earlier, she didn't hesitate for a moment in holding out a hand to her, all the same. Then again, she remembered that Jane was similar in their confrontation. Despite her fear, she wouldn't stand down then, either.
Well...it would be easier if they weren't at odds, wouldn't it? That was why she'd spoken of a truce to start with. It was with that thought in mind she took Jane's hand to shake it. No hidden daggers, no curses, no particular malice.]
That settles it, then.
[She withdrew her hand relatively quickly, focusing on the woman in front of her. When she spoke again, it was calm- that tiredness never really leaving her.]
...For what my word is worth, I don't intend to involve myself in your relationship with my cousin anymore. That's- entirely between the pair of you- it is neither my place, nor my business.
But I won't forgive you if you betray him. I don't want to see my family suffer that way.
[Not the way I suffered.
...She knew she was letting a little too much of her own hand show, but perhaps that was her intention. Rather than a threat, she meant it as some misguided explanation as to why she'd confronted Jane to start with. A way of setting the slate clean, as a facet of their truce.]
[If Jane made a habit of standing down every time she was afraid of something she wouldn't be the person she was today, and she's been through a lot in the past few years to have brought her to this point. The wide-eyed young woman fresh out of the Congo might never have thought to stand up for herself against Caster the way she had.]
I don't see why I should see your word as any less than any other's. [She says that so easily but the truth is, even if she knew Caster's past, she would likely think the same thing.] But you're quite right. It isn't your business.
[Jane loosely folds her arms. If that had been understood from the beginning perhaps Hypnos would have never had to get involved. Ah, but what happened happened... no point in lingering on it.]
I won't betray him. I don't betray the people I care about.
[True, Jane could be lying, that was a very real possibility. But she was exhausted, and being constantly suspicious and guarded was tiring in its own way- a tiredness that worked its way deep into her bones and made everything ache.
But she'd warned her. Beyond that, it wasn't her business. They'd both already reiterated that. Perhaps she could afford to take Jane at her word. She didn't seem the type for such a bold-faced lie.
...And besides, it meant something that Jane was willing to give her word the same consideration and weight as anyone else. In turn, she settled for giving Jane's words the same respect.]
In that case, I shouldn't have anything to worry about.
no subject
Well...it would be easier if they weren't at odds, wouldn't it? That was why she'd spoken of a truce to start with. It was with that thought in mind she took Jane's hand to shake it. No hidden daggers, no curses, no particular malice.]
That settles it, then.
[She withdrew her hand relatively quickly, focusing on the woman in front of her. When she spoke again, it was calm- that tiredness never really leaving her.]
...For what my word is worth, I don't intend to involve myself in your relationship with my cousin anymore. That's- entirely between the pair of you- it is neither my place, nor my business.
But I won't forgive you if you betray him. I don't want to see my family suffer that way.
[Not the way I suffered.
...She knew she was letting a little too much of her own hand show, but perhaps that was her intention. Rather than a threat, she meant it as some misguided explanation as to why she'd confronted Jane to start with. A way of setting the slate clean, as a facet of their truce.]
no subject
I don't see why I should see your word as any less than any other's. [She says that so easily but the truth is, even if she knew Caster's past, she would likely think the same thing.] But you're quite right. It isn't your business.
[Jane loosely folds her arms. If that had been understood from the beginning perhaps Hypnos would have never had to get involved. Ah, but what happened happened... no point in lingering on it.]
I won't betray him. I don't betray the people I care about.
no subject
[True, Jane could be lying, that was a very real possibility. But she was exhausted, and being constantly suspicious and guarded was tiring in its own way- a tiredness that worked its way deep into her bones and made everything ache.
But she'd warned her. Beyond that, it wasn't her business. They'd both already reiterated that. Perhaps she could afford to take Jane at her word. She didn't seem the type for such a bold-faced lie.
...And besides, it meant something that Jane was willing to give her word the same consideration and weight as anyone else. In turn, she settled for giving Jane's words the same respect.]
In that case, I shouldn't have anything to worry about.