Post by Ethan Lacroix on Jun 26, 2009 9:08:37 GMT -5
Wysteria's first words brought forth a tiny smirk from Ethan. He didn't really think it had been her meaning, but again what she said could have been easily interpreted as a threat. While he no longer suspected that to be her intent, it remained a possibility. Ethan was trying hard to consider all possibilities at this point; he didn't like making misjudgments. He nodded along with her explanation for being there, both in the library and in the castle in general, feeling a bit glad that he'd finally had a question answered. His nodding was replaced by his crooked shrug however when she mentioned a former headmistress. His History of Magic class hadn't really covered anything in the last fifty years, so while he'd of course heard the name Harry Potter, he wasn't at all familiar with the boy's story. Something to do with some dark wizard. Moldy Tort? No, that wasn't right. Ethan shrugged again, letting the issue go as not really relevant.
A troubled frown took his expression at her next question. Under normal circumstances he'd have accepted most any relatively reasonable thing someone told him as truth, while keeping his opinion open to the possibility that they were lying or misinformed. He wasn't overtly gullible, but he was trusting and not one to doubt a person simply because they hadn't proved themselves reliable. The situation now however forced him into a skepticism and mistrust that he truly did not like. His frown deepened further as he regarded Wysteria for a moment, something coming to mind that could help him believe her. He was not prepared for that though. He'd need some time. The whole idea was repugnant to him as well, but he didn't see how else he could be reasonably sure.
On top of all that was his concern for her cousin. Nothing motivated Ethan to act (or not act, as the case may be) like the notion that he would be harming someone else. Of course if Wysteria was lying about any of it, she could easily be lying about that as well. Logically he knew that, but even the increasingly (and annoyingly) dominant skepticism could not overcome his sense of compassion. He would tell Caira nothing if he believed it would endanger this girl and her family. He would not sacrifice them, even if he felt it was for the greater good.
While Ethan wasn't one to jump to conclusions, his mind did indeed immediately take rape as a high possibility for her meaning. There were others as well though, and as he looked at her (something he'd been managing for a couple minutes now without slipping into distraction, though he was too concerned at the moment to realize it) he decided that whatever else was true or not, she had endured something. Something terrible. Perhaps she had in fact been horribly disfigured by her torture and now used whatever spell or device or whatever it was that made her look so captivatingly beautiful to hide that fact. It made sense, but again he had no way of knowing and knew he could easily be way off. He could press the issue of course, but he didn't want to make her reveal anything personal or private. Though he supposed both would happen anyway if she agreed to his full plan.
A tiny hitch in his breathing as she spoke those last words may have clued her in to the sudden sympathy he felt. It was not the same condescending sense he'd had before, when he'd regarded her as a poor, misguided fool. Now it was simply a sincere sorrow that she'd had to go through whatever it was that she'd gone through. That feeling however helped solidify his belief that they needed a break from this. Steadying his breathing again, he voiced as much. "I think we should adjourn for now. These are not light decisions and should not be made in haste. Can you meet me here in one week, at midnight? I swear I won't meet with Headmistress LaPointe between now and then. I'll have something then that can help me believe you."
Continuing to meet her gaze in the soft glow, Ethan suddenly realized the glow was still coming from his lightly ignited wand lying at his feet. Now he was glad he hadn't tried to run. He certainly couldn't have scooped up his wand and still gotten away quickly, and leaving it behind would have left him at a sizable disadvantage. Really though it wouldn't have mattered, but of course he didn't know that.
A troubled frown took his expression at her next question. Under normal circumstances he'd have accepted most any relatively reasonable thing someone told him as truth, while keeping his opinion open to the possibility that they were lying or misinformed. He wasn't overtly gullible, but he was trusting and not one to doubt a person simply because they hadn't proved themselves reliable. The situation now however forced him into a skepticism and mistrust that he truly did not like. His frown deepened further as he regarded Wysteria for a moment, something coming to mind that could help him believe her. He was not prepared for that though. He'd need some time. The whole idea was repugnant to him as well, but he didn't see how else he could be reasonably sure.
On top of all that was his concern for her cousin. Nothing motivated Ethan to act (or not act, as the case may be) like the notion that he would be harming someone else. Of course if Wysteria was lying about any of it, she could easily be lying about that as well. Logically he knew that, but even the increasingly (and annoyingly) dominant skepticism could not overcome his sense of compassion. He would tell Caira nothing if he believed it would endanger this girl and her family. He would not sacrifice them, even if he felt it was for the greater good.
While Ethan wasn't one to jump to conclusions, his mind did indeed immediately take rape as a high possibility for her meaning. There were others as well though, and as he looked at her (something he'd been managing for a couple minutes now without slipping into distraction, though he was too concerned at the moment to realize it) he decided that whatever else was true or not, she had endured something. Something terrible. Perhaps she had in fact been horribly disfigured by her torture and now used whatever spell or device or whatever it was that made her look so captivatingly beautiful to hide that fact. It made sense, but again he had no way of knowing and knew he could easily be way off. He could press the issue of course, but he didn't want to make her reveal anything personal or private. Though he supposed both would happen anyway if she agreed to his full plan.
A tiny hitch in his breathing as she spoke those last words may have clued her in to the sudden sympathy he felt. It was not the same condescending sense he'd had before, when he'd regarded her as a poor, misguided fool. Now it was simply a sincere sorrow that she'd had to go through whatever it was that she'd gone through. That feeling however helped solidify his belief that they needed a break from this. Steadying his breathing again, he voiced as much. "I think we should adjourn for now. These are not light decisions and should not be made in haste. Can you meet me here in one week, at midnight? I swear I won't meet with Headmistress LaPointe between now and then. I'll have something then that can help me believe you."
Continuing to meet her gaze in the soft glow, Ethan suddenly realized the glow was still coming from his lightly ignited wand lying at his feet. Now he was glad he hadn't tried to run. He certainly couldn't have scooped up his wand and still gotten away quickly, and leaving it behind would have left him at a sizable disadvantage. Really though it wouldn't have mattered, but of course he didn't know that.