and now my bitter hands shake beneath the clouds

[Jefferson Soul]

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http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g210/ ... itable.png);background-position:bottom;background-repeat:no-repeat;"> -- He'd frightened her again, with that sudden display of miscreant emotion, and he regretted it. Jefferson was never frightening on purpose, at least not anymore, but many things about him had changed. The fury within his chest had not; that temper of his had always been there, and he had a feeling it had been even when he was known as Maluki, many moons before. He was Jefferson now, had been for a long time, and he knew he was different than Maluki either way. That creature wasn't the scarred miscreant he'd become then, he had been a good kid--or so Iskata and Laruku had implied, anyway. Jefferson had never been "good". He'd never been a leader, at least until he'd been thrown into the position. He'd lost any choice. Phoenix Valley was his... whether or not he wanted it was another story. "Don't apologize," he sighed, voice assuming its normal, calmer tone as the gruff temper began to melt away carried by regret. It wasn't her fault he'd suddenly erupted, no... it was his, he knew it, and as much as he wanted to blame her, he couldn't. If he was anything, he was smart. She'd withdrawn a little from him, and although he wished she'd have turned and ran after such a display, she didn't. Surely, this little foreigner had more strength than he did, more audacity in her character than he'd ever mustered. Jefferson had survived off a false courage, somehow. What emotions he felt were raw, unjustified. Useless. "Geneva," he repeated quietly, nodding his head just slightly. His rage had soothed, and now it seemed he had just withdrawn, evident by the somber emptiness in his voice. "...I'm Jefferson. You should go." He turned his eye away from her, looking back on his packlands. She had nothing to gain there. ...There was nothing to gain in any lands he ruled.

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