her hands smooth over the front of her jacket, a nervous habit, before she carefully lowers herself into the offered seat. posture straight. ankles neatly crossed. tail curls once around the leg of the chair like itβs deciding whether to behave.
β oh! well β when you say it like that, it sounds very dramatic. β
a soft, breathy laugh escapes her. too high. she clears her throat.
β i didnβt realize iβdβ¦ ahβ¦ been observed so thoroughly. i hope iβve been a gracious representative of the family name. β
thereβs a flicker there β subtle. she hates that she still seeks approval, if not from the beleaguered masses of sinners, then from supposedly closer ties. green eyes studying her. weighing her. charlie tilts her head slightly, considering his final question with earnest seriousness rather than defensiveness.
β redemption isnβt quite revolution. β she says it gently, like sheβs correcting a misunderstanding instead of challenging him. β it only feels revolutionary because the current system doesnβt account for growth! β
hands fold in her lap now. composed. but her cloven foot taps once against the polished parquet floor, tucked politely beneath the chair. a small inhale precedes her explanation.
β eternal punishment assumes permanence. but people β souls β arenβt permanent in who they are. they change. they learn. sometimes it takes centuries, sure, but that doesnβt mean the possibility isnβt there! β
her voice grows warmer as she speaks, confidence knitting itself back together in real time. she leans forward now, mirroring him without realizing. β i donβt want to overthrow the system. i want to prove it has room for mercy! β
a brief pause. then, her sprightly voice becomes softer, the passionate flame in her bright crimson eyes banked low:
β but if the only way to introduce mercy is to challenge the framework that excludes itβ¦ β her smile returns β bright, almost sheepish. β well. i suppose that depends on how... threatened the framework feels. β
there it is. not rebellion. conviction.
charlie straightens again, brushing a stray curl behind her ear. β iβm not naΓ―ve about the scale of it. i know itβs ambitious. i know it upsets people who benefit from things staying exactly as they are. β another glance at him β direct now.
β guidance would be appreciated, truly. resources too! but if youβre offering support, i would hope it's because you believe change is possible β not because itβs... an interesting disruption to manage. β
her tail, gently flicking, stills as she considers her next words. β so, if weβre speaking as familyβ¦ β her expression softens β not pleading. not defensive. simply open. β tell me the truth. do you think redemption threatens order? β
