"Of course they know," he says to Susannah, dismissive. "Why else would they have brought him? There's no showmanship in bringing just any child from our world to this one."
"I'd like to introduce you to Clementine first," he says to Jake, turning back toward him. "She's nearly your age, brave, fights fairly well. She'll make a good ally. But I'd also like you to stay near one of us at all times, aye? Or at least as often as possible. You'll do alright, so long as you take care." He runs his hand over Jake's head again, knowing one - or more likely, all - of them are going to die before this thing is done, and that in the best possible scenario Jake is still going to end up witnessing it. Remembering it.
But even now, he can't be angry at those who brought Jake here. He ought to be. The need to speak of that, to cry Jake's pardon for it, is powerful and persistent. Roland is selfish, he always has been, that the need to soothe his own ills is so strong even as he knows well what it'd do to Jake to speak of it. Perhaps Susannah, later, will listen, might even understand, but for now Roland only clenches his jaw, hopes he'll be able to distract himself with other matters until that time can come. "And your allies, Susannah? I'm afraid I still haven't been keeping track as I ought to. Who are they?"
no problem <3
"I'd like to introduce you to Clementine first," he says to Jake, turning back toward him. "She's nearly your age, brave, fights fairly well. She'll make a good ally. But I'd also like you to stay near one of us at all times, aye? Or at least as often as possible. You'll do alright, so long as you take care." He runs his hand over Jake's head again, knowing one - or more likely, all - of them are going to die before this thing is done, and that in the best possible scenario Jake is still going to end up witnessing it. Remembering it.
But even now, he can't be angry at those who brought Jake here. He ought to be. The need to speak of that, to cry Jake's pardon for it, is powerful and persistent. Roland is selfish, he always has been, that the need to soothe his own ills is so strong even as he knows well what it'd do to Jake to speak of it. Perhaps Susannah, later, will listen, might even understand, but for now Roland only clenches his jaw, hopes he'll be able to distract himself with other matters until that time can come. "And your allies, Susannah? I'm afraid I still haven't been keeping track as I ought to. Who are they?"