Coffee or Tea (Artskaf)

[Claude Saint-Clair]

Claude remained silent, but it wasn’t a surprised silence. It was the silence of someone taking new information and filling in the holes and cracks in their knowledge base. He evaluated assumptions he had with the new information. And with her confession, everything clicked into place.

The thought hit his mind that she could be lying. There were a lot of traitors within the ranks of the Atharim, but he didn’t think that was the case. For one, it was Nora. And second, it was way too elaborate to get him to admit that he questioned some of the Atharim’s teachings. There were far more effective and far more easy ways to get to that. Occam’s razor would indicate that her words were the truth. Also he really felt like Nora wasn’t lying to him. She even admitted that there was more, but not to share here.

Claude gave a sigh before he responded to her announcement. ”When I was thirteen, you told me something I never forgot. It amounted to I am the person God created me to be. I’m going to say the same to you,” he looked at her, his eyes and voice serious. ”You are not an abomination. You are what God created you to be.”

Claude had never talked to that conversation with anyone. He had never even mentioned it to Nora. And with that he admitted to her that he questioned some of the Atharim’s teachings. Nora mentioned she went to Grym out of desperation. That meant Grym knew, and was on her side. She was sure Nora had protection of some sort.

”Im on your side, Nora and if there is anything I can do to help, I’m here. It sounds like Grym is too.” he gave her a disarming smirk. ”But I have to ask - was that tremor you? That didn’t seem to be natural.”