alphi catchall

[booksleeves]

Comments

[booksleeves]

[She seems at least pleased by the comment, giving him a small smile.]

. . . Thank you. There is nothing to do about it. I just feel a bit - I learned something through one of these shards and I feel rather troubled by it.

[arcsplainist]

... I see. The memories again?

[booksleeves]

[She nods.]

There are certain things that happened after the point in time I can remember. And I suppose, seeing one of those things made me realize that. . . [She pauses for a moment, considering.] I think Mr. Sholmes must have been dishonest with me about a rather serious matter.

[arcsplainist]

... Ah.

[ Quite serious, if she's been brought to tears over it. ]

I am willing to lend an ear, should you need one. I have plenty of it to go around, you see.

[booksleeves]

[She looks at her hands, folding them together, and then after a moment nods.]

. . . About a year ago, a very dear friend of mine died. It was quite difficult. [. . .] Or so I believed. He hadn't died after all. I saw him in Lord van Zieks' memories, perfectly fine. I'm not sure how it's possible, but by all accounts I ought to be happy, right? It's like a dream. He's alive after all.

But it occurs to me that the reason I believed him to be dead with such certainty was because it was Mr. Sholmes himself who conducted the examination of his body.

[arcsplainist]

[ Oh. Oh. Even Alphinaud appears surprised. ]

He had not lied to you, had he?

[booksleeves]

I don't know. It doesn't seem like a thing he would do, but I also can't think of another explanation.

[She laces her fingers together.]

. . . I have been trying to decide whether I ought to confront him.

[arcsplainist]

Are you afraid of what he may tell you?

[booksleeves]

. . . A little of that, and a little that I feel a little ashamed to doubt him.

[arcsplainist]

Hm...

I cannot claim to know Mr. Sholmes as well as you by any means, yet I cannot imagine he would purposefully act maliciously. Mayhap there was a serious misunderstanding.

[booksleeves]

He has always been so kind to me. But he is also no fool. He would not mistake a living body for a dead body.

[arcsplainist]

... No, 'tis a difficult mistake to make. There is, of course, only one way you will know for certain.

[booksleeves]

Yes. I shall have to speak to him, I suppose.

[A sigh.]

. . . Thank you for listening to me about this.

[arcsplainist]

Certainly; there are times when all one needs is someone to hear them out, especially so during these unusual circumstances.