[The question makes Diarmuid's hand tighten around Waver's. At the same time, he closes his eyes and draws in a deep breath. In any other time and in any other place, it would take the direct order of a master or lord to make Diarmuid agree to something like that. A knight doesn't run away when there is even the smallest chance to save someone. They don't put their survival before another's. That's not how it's done.
But Waver isn't Diarmuid's lord. He's his partner. Technically, Waver is his master and Diarmuid can ask him to order such a thing, but...where will their partnership be if he does? That is the easy way. The way that says that Diarmuid values the lives of others over the life of the person who helped save his sanity and who held out his hands to hold the pieces of Diarmuid shattered self while he put himself back together. It didn't matter that those pieces had been sharp and cut sometimes, Waver had still held them and waited.
There is nothing in the world Diarmuid values more than that. Nothing. Not his tarnished honor. Not his loyalty. Not his title of knight. None of those things he would have right now without Waver having been there. He would not be able to save anyone without Waver having been there to save him long enough to find himself again.]
Never an easy question with you. [Diarmuid stops a moment, voice dropping to almost an inaudible, but intense whisper.]
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But Waver isn't Diarmuid's lord. He's his partner. Technically, Waver is his master and Diarmuid can ask him to order such a thing, but...where will their partnership be if he does? That is the easy way. The way that says that Diarmuid values the lives of others over the life of the person who helped save his sanity and who held out his hands to hold the pieces of Diarmuid shattered self while he put himself back together. It didn't matter that those pieces had been sharp and cut sometimes, Waver had still held them and waited.
There is nothing in the world Diarmuid values more than that. Nothing. Not his tarnished honor. Not his loyalty. Not his title of knight. None of those things he would have right now without Waver having been there. He would not be able to save anyone without Waver having been there to save him long enough to find himself again.]
Never an easy question with you.
[Diarmuid stops a moment, voice dropping to almost an inaudible, but intense whisper.]
Yes, it's clear.