[AW] Invictus - [Meeting]

[Raymond]

As the old biblical saying - which he neither knows nor has reason to know, but I digress - goes, there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. In situations such as these, the latter times often far outweighed the former.

Now was no different.

Raymond strode into the meeting's orbit as though he belonged there and so made no waves with his presence. Camouflage born of confidence, once could say. He had no intention of adding his voice to the existing clamor, or having an opinion at all: opinions were for activists. Calliope could have an opinion - and she did, delivering it with the knife-edged conviction that might stay the courage of any dragon - and the pink fellow that raised his voice and bolted from the grounds could have an opinion, and of course everyone in attendance would leave from the circle having taken something different from the amassed words at its center, but Raymond was interested only in perspective.

Raymond didn't fear dragons, but neither was he prepared to die upon some foreign countryman's sword in the name of defending Dusk or its honor. He tried that once and the foul taste had yet to fully leave his tongue.

But if the kingdoms were at each other's throats and his Calliope seemingly committed to her admirable zealotry, then the swordsman would need to be prepared for every eventuality. He needed to know more than names and understand more than the danger a dragon may or may not pose. He didn't particularly care who was right, as long as he and the few things he cared about were left when the dust cleared.

So he stood silent amongst the crowd, nigh invisible despite his bright copper coat, and listened.

And learned.

Raymond.
and at his feet they'll cast their golden crowns
when the man comes around