as lost as leaves, as far as stars
"Ulath," Kalten says, irritably, "pay attention. You've been woolgathering for the past two weeks. What's got you so distracted?"
"I don't like the reports we've been getting back from Atan," the big Genidian replies, shifting the princess Danae, Rollo, and Mmrr around in his lap. Danae has been on nearly everyone's lap since recovering from her illness (which lasted ten days), though she gives Maryani a long look at one point--since Maryani wasn't one of the followers of her own goddess to be given over to Aphrael. That wasn't a great surprise. Aphrael's got her temper, sure, but Maryani's probably a bit too wild to really fit in with Aphrael's congregation.
"Things aren't working out the way I thought they would," Ulath continues in a gloomy voice, "THe Trolls are learning to hide from arrows and crossbow bolts."
Across the room, Nouria glances over her shoulder, away from her book. Her eyes are worried, but she masks the expression with a more neutral one when she turns back.
"Even a Troll is bound to learn eventually," Talen says.
"No," Ulath disagrees, "That's the whole point. Trolls don't learn. Maybe it's because their Gods don't learn--or can't. The Trolls that are walking around right now know exactly what the first Troll who ever lived knew--no more, no less. Cyrgon's tampering with them. If he alters to the Trolls to the point that they can learn things, mankind's going to be in serious trouble."
"There's something more, too, isn't there, Ulath" Bevier asks, shrewdly. "You've had your 'theological expression' on your face for the past several days. You're fussing with some moral dilemma, aren't you?"
"Ever-aware of even the slightest shift in morality," Maryani observes of Bevier, and then smiles pleasantly at him.