Yes, although we hope we shall not need to employ such tactics. We do not wish to intimidate... except, we suppose, when there truly is no other option.
[ Maia clearly means it, too. He had spent far too many years as the subject of intimidation and abuse, and if anything, he over-corrects in the opposite direction, thinks himself a tyrant and a monster for the slightest shortnesses of temper. It was hard enough, not accidentally scaring the palace servants and members of his household, merely by interacting with them. It was only ever with nobles, of the kind who hated him and would always hate and disrespect him, that Maia sometimes needed to become a bit of a bully. ]
It is true, that is the way of the world, but...
[ Maia meets Geralt's eyes, and smiles, a very small smile. ]
...perhaps you do not allow yourself enough credit. We do not think we could ever be so forgiving. Not at any age.
[ He certainly doesn't think he will ever forgive Setheris, or his father, no matter how many years he lives. He does not want to forgive them, or even understand them. Maia won't let his grudges poison his behavior, as far as possible, but he cannot bring himself to care about their circumstances or good intentions. And it seems dangerous to him, even setting aside personal wrongs, to regard with such lax tolerance that category of person who convinced themselves that the evils they did were necessary.
All of which is rather hard to put into words, and it takes Maia a while to do it; he is quiet a few moments, before saying: ]
And yet evil is still evil, and... allowing it to go on unchecked, merely because people can convince themselves they are justified, leaves the strong free to exploit the weak, to sow violence and cruelty, and then act as if it means nothing. And that is how the world... rots.
[ Shulivar had been a murderer, had probably been mad, but - he had had a point. Maia might disagree with his methods, but there was no denying his beliefs, about entrenched power, and decadence.
But it sounds as if the old ways are not unquestioned, in Geralt's world. A little of the tension in Maia's shoulders relaxes when Geralt says that he and the others agreed not to put another generation of boys through what they had gone through. ]
We- did not wish to speak ill of your ways, but... we believe that was a wise decision. Traditions... can become poison. They are born, and live, and wither, and should be allowed to die when it is their time.
no subject
[ Maia clearly means it, too. He had spent far too many years as the subject of intimidation and abuse, and if anything, he over-corrects in the opposite direction, thinks himself a tyrant and a monster for the slightest shortnesses of temper. It was hard enough, not accidentally scaring the palace servants and members of his household, merely by interacting with them. It was only ever with nobles, of the kind who hated him and would always hate and disrespect him, that Maia sometimes needed to become a bit of a bully. ]
It is true, that is the way of the world, but...
[ Maia meets Geralt's eyes, and smiles, a very small smile. ]
...perhaps you do not allow yourself enough credit. We do not think we could ever be so forgiving. Not at any age.
[ He certainly doesn't think he will ever forgive Setheris, or his father, no matter how many years he lives. He does not want to forgive them, or even understand them. Maia won't let his grudges poison his behavior, as far as possible, but he cannot bring himself to care about their circumstances or good intentions. And it seems dangerous to him, even setting aside personal wrongs, to regard with such lax tolerance that category of person who convinced themselves that the evils they did were necessary.
All of which is rather hard to put into words, and it takes Maia a while to do it; he is quiet a few moments, before saying: ]
And yet evil is still evil, and... allowing it to go on unchecked, merely because people can convince themselves they are justified, leaves the strong free to exploit the weak, to sow violence and cruelty, and then act as if it means nothing. And that is how the world... rots.
[ Shulivar had been a murderer, had probably been mad, but - he had had a point. Maia might disagree with his methods, but there was no denying his beliefs, about entrenched power, and decadence.
But it sounds as if the old ways are not unquestioned, in Geralt's world. A little of the tension in Maia's shoulders relaxes when Geralt says that he and the others agreed not to put another generation of boys through what they had gone through. ]
We- did not wish to speak ill of your ways, but... we believe that was a wise decision. Traditions... can become poison. They are born, and live, and wither, and should be allowed to die when it is their time.