[Estinien hesitates, sensing the obvious turn in the conversation. Though he doesn't follow Jaskier as he steps back in frustration, he does seem to... sink, somehow - physically and emotionally. He crosses his arms around himself. This is not something he's had to contend with often, as it's always felt like those that have come to him for friendship have understood, on some level, his nature.
He feels strangely helpless, now - ill-suited to resolving this kind of dispute. It's all he can do to brace himself against it, resigning himself to taking Jaskier's lashes, and resisting the urge to lash out in kind. His words are measured as he speaks, seemingly deflated from the desire to argue passionately.]
Have you taken my words to mean that I am bemoaning her treatment of me as some unjust cruelty? Nay... 'tis only natural that she struck back in kind. I can only speak for mine own intent, not her interpretation of it.
[Estinien's frustration regarding his injuries and failure has little to do with Yennefer dispensing them and everything to do with his own inability to stop it. He's not judging her character for seeing him as an enemy and responding accordingly. His only qualm is with the path she's chosen to walk by its own merits, not that she would defend it to her full ability. He'd expect nothing less.
He's not sure he's ever had to contend with something like this before, and it hurts him more than he might have expected. What hurts the most is that he saw this schism coming from the moment Yennefer took Thorne's side. He'd tried to speak to Geralt about it in advance, to find some way past it, but was refused outright. He'd even thought at the time that the conflict would put an end to his and Jaskier's relationship, but when he spoke of it to the bard, he was assured that his assumption was foolish.
And yet here they are. The reality he had seen coming, and the reactions he had anticipated. Had they never truly listened to him? Had Jaskier truly just ignored everything he was telling him, ignored all of his fears, only to imagine something that wasn't there?]
I did not mean to imply that they would not intervene in the activities of the other factions... only that they see tampering with the Singularity itself as unnecessary and detrimental. They will fight against the manipulation of the Singularity, as evidenced by what they asked of us... which was not to 'murder', but to defend the Singularity from Thorne's touch.
[He doesn't understand why Jaskier sees Thorne's actions as neutral and Solvunn actions as aggression - was it not Thorne that took the first step? Thorne that decided to manipulate the Singularity despite the wishes of the rest of the nation? Thorne that brought the first of the Summoned? If Thorne had not deigned to set foot within the Singularity's radius, none of this would have happened.]
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He feels strangely helpless, now - ill-suited to resolving this kind of dispute. It's all he can do to brace himself against it, resigning himself to taking Jaskier's lashes, and resisting the urge to lash out in kind. His words are measured as he speaks, seemingly deflated from the desire to argue passionately.]
Have you taken my words to mean that I am bemoaning her treatment of me as some unjust cruelty? Nay... 'tis only natural that she struck back in kind. I can only speak for mine own intent, not her interpretation of it.
[Estinien's frustration regarding his injuries and failure has little to do with Yennefer dispensing them and everything to do with his own inability to stop it. He's not judging her character for seeing him as an enemy and responding accordingly. His only qualm is with the path she's chosen to walk by its own merits, not that she would defend it to her full ability. He'd expect nothing less.
He's not sure he's ever had to contend with something like this before, and it hurts him more than he might have expected. What hurts the most is that he saw this schism coming from the moment Yennefer took Thorne's side. He'd tried to speak to Geralt about it in advance, to find some way past it, but was refused outright. He'd even thought at the time that the conflict would put an end to his and Jaskier's relationship, but when he spoke of it to the bard, he was assured that his assumption was foolish.
And yet here they are. The reality he had seen coming, and the reactions he had anticipated. Had they never truly listened to him? Had Jaskier truly just ignored everything he was telling him, ignored all of his fears, only to imagine something that wasn't there?]
I did not mean to imply that they would not intervene in the activities of the other factions... only that they see tampering with the Singularity itself as unnecessary and detrimental. They will fight against the manipulation of the Singularity, as evidenced by what they asked of us... which was not to 'murder', but to defend the Singularity from Thorne's touch.
[He doesn't understand why Jaskier sees Thorne's actions as neutral and Solvunn actions as aggression - was it not Thorne that took the first step? Thorne that decided to manipulate the Singularity despite the wishes of the rest of the nation? Thorne that brought the first of the Summoned? If Thorne had not deigned to set foot within the Singularity's radius, none of this would have happened.]