James is of course utterly oblivious to Raju's thoughts, but giving James a good excuse to visit the cabin certainly wouldn't hurt, and he'll definitely take it.
But for now he's focused entirely on Francis, both listening and, just as importantly watching. It's an open response--not guarded in front of their company--so that makes James a little less concerned about how to answer in return, at least in that sense. He's more worried about the obvious guilt in Francis' words, the gesture of running his fingers over the table, the small shake of his head.
So it's clear what he needs to address first.
"We knew our situation was dire, Francis." He says it quietly, running his own fingers over the metal of the cup he's holding. "What happened was not a failure of your leadership."
He doesn't yet know exactly what occurred after his own death, other than a few hints here and there, but it had been bad enough at the point of his own last memories that surely Francis would consider it a failure. It's difficult for James not to consider his own leadership a failure, even at the same time as he entirely means what he's telling Francis.
But that's all on a grand scale, and what Francis says about the people here in contrast to what he says about Edward gives James an immediate suspicion about the situation. So, after a moment to be sure his previous words sink in before he offers a gentle argument, he continues. "I am not surprised Edward would fall back into familiar patterns." Especially in such an unfamiliar place, after such an... Ordeal. Of course he would want something he understands, something to focus on and some sort of goal to work toward. It makes sense.
And it also makes sense why Francis might feel like that's a judgement, though it's impossible for James to truly guess whether or not Edward might've actually said something about it. It's possible he did, even if just as a suggestion, though it's also possible this thought was entirely inferred on Francis' part. But either way--
"Are you so certain that he desires you lead the people here? Or does he simply wish for direction himself?"
no subject
But for now he's focused entirely on Francis, both listening and, just as importantly watching. It's an open response--not guarded in front of their company--so that makes James a little less concerned about how to answer in return, at least in that sense. He's more worried about the obvious guilt in Francis' words, the gesture of running his fingers over the table, the small shake of his head.
So it's clear what he needs to address first.
"We knew our situation was dire, Francis." He says it quietly, running his own fingers over the metal of the cup he's holding. "What happened was not a failure of your leadership."
He doesn't yet know exactly what occurred after his own death, other than a few hints here and there, but it had been bad enough at the point of his own last memories that surely Francis would consider it a failure. It's difficult for James not to consider his own leadership a failure, even at the same time as he entirely means what he's telling Francis.
But that's all on a grand scale, and what Francis says about the people here in contrast to what he says about Edward gives James an immediate suspicion about the situation. So, after a moment to be sure his previous words sink in before he offers a gentle argument, he continues. "I am not surprised Edward would fall back into familiar patterns." Especially in such an unfamiliar place, after such an... Ordeal. Of course he would want something he understands, something to focus on and some sort of goal to work toward. It makes sense.
And it also makes sense why Francis might feel like that's a judgement, though it's impossible for James to truly guess whether or not Edward might've actually said something about it. It's possible he did, even if just as a suggestion, though it's also possible this thought was entirely inferred on Francis' part. But either way--
"Are you so certain that he desires you lead the people here? Or does he simply wish for direction himself?"