The Sentinels tea party pardon

Atoll's ears fell back on her head when she heard the woman's message for Skellige. She was glad that she'd been here to intercept it, and that the woman had not tried to say such things to the Leviathan on her own. Indeed, there was already a brittle edge to her smile when she spoke of them man - the Atoll could not blame her, and was only glad that she'd seen enough to know that she would not want to deliver this news by herself.

Still, she felt that she could not leave this mention of her king all alone - she understood Starbuck's view of him, having seen him in his moods and experienced his ire. But even through all that, the Atoll still loved him dearly. He'd saved her.

"He is not an easy man to get along with," she said hesitantly, the truth sounding blasphemous to her nervously twitching ears. They steadied, though, as she imagined that even Skellige himself would not dispute this - her king did not seek to get along. "I imagine you must know this, by your words - I will not disagree. He is not nice, nor is he very diplomatic. But if you have seen him near the child, you will know that he takes care of his own. He found me weak and shattered and took me under his wing - I have been blessed to know the man. Not nice or pleasant, at times, but kind in his own right. Good to me beyond anything I could have earned."

She shot Starbuck a wry smile. "I do not ask you to like him," she reiterated, wanting the wolf to know that she still understood and appreciated her view of the man. "But please, do not think too badly of him, either. He is a duitiful man. If it needs doing, he does it. And if he does it, then - often - he feels that it needs to be done. Grumpiness aside."

Hoping she had not overstepped, but at the same time, hoping she had helped Starbuck to understand the Leviathan's actions a bit more, the Atoll turned to leave. "I hope to see you again," she said with a hopefuly grin. "And I will protect you from the sea king, should the need arise. And I will deliver your message as well."