After a moment, Mar laughed brightly, running a hand through his hair against the surprise of the sudden humor. "Well, we agree on that. In all honesty, I'm not sure I can knuckle down and start falling into a regimental line like a good soldier, if that was where our chosen leader wanted to go with it. I'd try, but that's going against years of experience and success that followed with it."

How weird. How funny to suddenly feel like he'd achieved a measure of empathy with her. "It would be best if we could all work exactly like you describe, because I know how that's worked as well. But our expectations are all so different. When it comes down to it, the thing that worries me the most really is rejecting Dragonsworn based on their nature, their powers, maybe even things they can't control at all, things they had no choice in. That's why I opened up with that question and why I've been arguing it, at least."