ataraxion | video;

[Bran's smile is only a little wan--and that is only because he is distracted, because Summer is distracted. The great direwolf is sitting at his feet, but Summer has grown large enough that he is still visible in the video feed. Something is ailing the direwolf, making him skittish. He huffs a whine as the video begins, and Bran looks down at him, and lays a hand atop Summer's head.]

Be still.

[Summer's ears flick, nervously; he blinks, and whines again. Bran looks to his device, his hand still resting atop his direwolf's head.]

I am looking for paper--perhaps twenty or thirty sheets of paper, that is not being used. Most things on this ship are written by typing, but there must be some paper somewhere. I can make a trade for it, if it is necessary. And I will need tape-- [That is a new word, but he says it smoothly.] --and scissors, with which to cut. They must be able to do fine work, I think.

[Restlessly, Summer raises his head. The video jars a little, and Bran quickly reaches to steady it, as he gives his direwolf a slightly anxious look.]

In Westeros, great tourneys are often held, where knights prove their merit in the lists. That means a joust, though there is sometimes melee fighting as well. I have never seen a tourney, only heard tales of them--and we have very few knights here. So we are going to let our direwolves race instead, and have a feast, just as if it were a true tourney. [Summer whines again, more plantively. He shrugs out from beneath Bran's hand, turning in a tight circle.] Summer, quiet. It is only a shadow.

There must be a prize, at the end, and I have been trying to think of something good. I have ideas, but they aren't very good, so I thought--

[But what he thought is never realized, because Summer moves quite sharply then, twisting away from Bran and the video with a sharp growl. Bran's face pinches in worry, and he grabs hastily for his device, to steady it again, before he shuts it off. It is an ungainly end to the message, but his concern trumps his good manners.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I've never seen one, no. Possibly because I don't imagine it would be all that entertaining, so I've never sought one out.

But then whoever brought us here would find us boring too.

[not that... that's any sort of comfort, actually. when he reads the words back it actually seems more worrying than anything.]

That could, unfortunately, be something of an explanation for some of the occurrences we're forced to experience.

I thought of that.

[And does not like it. There is a pause, before he thinks of one last thing.]

If an ant tried to speak to you, would you listen? I mean if you could tell that it was trying to speak with you.

Personally? I believe I would, yes, out of interest if nothing else. But I've also already explained why I wouldn't be given to keeping them around for my entertainment.

I understand. I only wondered if we should try and speak to the ship, in a way so it would know that we were trying.

I think that course of action may depend on what belief you have regarding out resident smile.

[There is a pause at that.]

I know what others believe. I am not yet certain of what I believe.

I'd call that a wise position to stand in, but I worry circumstances may come to force us to make decisions without the room for that kind of deliberation.

If it should come to that then I think our way will be clearer. If circumstances do work to bring us to that end we will know. And we will know what decisions to make. Too much is unclear right now. It is not like fighting a battle. It is more like playing a game I think.

Games can be just as dangerous as battles, if the stakes are high enough.

[like a game of thrones maybe???]

I know. And there could be more cheating. But I think I would prefer a game. I think I would be better at a game.

Edited (nitpicky html problems ) 2014-02-25 16:20 (UTC)

Then perhaps you'll end up helping us all, in the end.

video;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;

text;