( it actually gets a laugh, the vaguely desolate chuckle of a man who's seen more than a few beheadings in his day. at least sabers cauterize. )
Okay. Hear me out.
( he holds his hands up, peaceable. forestalling comment. )
I'm not questioning your leadership. I'm sure you've had all the appropriate instruction and experience in courtly intrigue, et cetera. Royals go through a lot of training and I should know, I married one. Trust me, I know it's a headache and a half.
( he can use the appropriate manners when he needs to, but most of the time he doesn't give a damn. he lets his reputation precede him. )
But it's one Hell of a disservice to say that anyone gets where they are by virtue of their lineage. You can't control who you're born to. It doesn't matter more than hard work. Being a leader means nothing unless you know how to lead. Unless your people will follow you. A blood right presupposes some divine competence that doesn't exist. Maybe it puts you in a better position to get those skills, but no one deserves anything for the accident of being born. If blood dictated your position in life, I would've died in a gutter fifty years ago.
( he's always hated the skywalker mythos, everything built up around it. look what it did to leia. look what it did to luke and ben. having a lineage meant having something to live up to, or something to overcome. both were shitty for different reasons. )
no subject
Okay. Hear me out.
( he holds his hands up, peaceable. forestalling comment. )
I'm not questioning your leadership. I'm sure you've had all the appropriate instruction and experience in courtly intrigue, et cetera. Royals go through a lot of training and I should know, I married one. Trust me, I know it's a headache and a half.
( he can use the appropriate manners when he needs to, but most of the time he doesn't give a damn. he lets his reputation precede him. )
But it's one Hell of a disservice to say that anyone gets where they are by virtue of their lineage. You can't control who you're born to. It doesn't matter more than hard work. Being a leader means nothing unless you know how to lead. Unless your people will follow you. A blood right presupposes some divine competence that doesn't exist. Maybe it puts you in a better position to get those skills, but no one deserves anything for the accident of being born. If blood dictated your position in life, I would've died in a gutter fifty years ago.
( he's always hated the skywalker mythos, everything built up around it. look what it did to leia. look what it did to luke and ben. having a lineage meant having something to live up to, or something to overcome. both were shitty for different reasons. )