What Isn't Said

Sentior 5, 398 - April 20, 2016

Ringward Throne Room

Starring: Edith Elwyn, Miran Kovac

In which Miran presents the heads of Jac and Thorbald to Edith, and the two proceed to have a conversation with more layers in it than a wedding cake. 

<SpecialSnowflaku>In the throne room, Edith Elwyn awaited good news... The throne room was dimly lit as usual, and as usual, Edith sat upon the throne... She wore dark breeches and a dark coat that revealed only a hint of a snowy white shirt beneath... Her gray-streaked red hair was pulled into a tight plaited bun with the crown of gems sitting above it... She looked almost like a queen, but rather than a serene, regal expression, her face was cold and stony, her unblinking eyes shrewd and her lips barely curved into a cynical smile...

<CleeseTheImpure>The priest of family Kovac enters the throne room – this time, he hasn't taken the time to bathe or change his clothing first. There is no blood visible on the man's coat or clothing, but there is a considerably large stain in the roughspun sack he is carrying in his right hand. Even more than a stain, there is nearly a sheet of the coagulated life-juice on the bottom of the sack, dark and shiny in the light. “Mistress.” After he reaches the appropriate distance he sets the bag on the floor and takes a solemn bow, right leg to the side, left arm on his breast, right hand touching the brow of his inclined head.

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Miran," Edith intoned, leaning forward an inch to peer with undisguised interest at the bloody sack he carried. "Where is Levicar?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“My apologies mistress.” A flash of distaste comes over the priest's features. “He has been summoned to satisfy the honor of one of the other guildmembers. He gives all due apology for the slight, but does not wish to sully his reputation so soon in our tenure here, and had to rush away.” Miran continues holding the respectful pose while giving this explanation, careful to maintain the respect of his tone despite the undercurrent of irritation.

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith did not look surprised at the sound of a duel, but her eyebrows did swoop down ominously at the mention of how soon the duel was taking place. "Who is he dueling?" She demanded. It was a quiet demand, but it definitely contained a ring of authority. "Who so desperately wants satisfaction that they prioritize it above the guild's business?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“The Caloran Ferran-Leon, Mistress.” He sounds doubtful. “I don't know if it was placing his own priorities above that of the guild, but you know how these duelist types are. It is a slight and possibly even a forfeiture to not arrive at the selected place and time.” He glances up quickly at the guildmistress. “I would assume.” Despite his straightened neck allowing him to peer with one eye, the other is still covered by his hand on his brow, the other aspects of the bow maintained.

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Rise, Miran," Edith said with a brief gesture, a gesture that also seemed to wave away the current topic, though her eyebrows remained low over her eyes. "And tell me your news."

<CleeseTheImpure>He rises and straightens, placing his hands in front of him in that vaguely holy pose. “Our task has been accomplished, mistress.” There is something satisfied and almost awed in Miran's voice. “The two remaining servants of the late Lord Castus have been...” He gives the slightest smile here and gestures down at the sack. “Silenced.” He kneels down and opens the sack, reaching in and producing a head, cradling it in both arms. “Jac.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith peered at the bloody head thoughtfully, studying the face, and apparently unconcerned by the blood or the gruesome death expression. "Good," She said simply. "And the other...?"

<CleeseTheImpure>He nods and places the head down on a bare spot of floor, facing the throne. He repeats the process once more, with considerably less care for the second grisly trophy. This one he holds up by the hair, arm shaking a little as he presents it to the Guildmistress. “And Thorbald.” He keeps his voice nuetral, but there is definitely a glint behind the priest's eyes.

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith gave that one a close scrutiny as well before nodding. "You did well," She said finally. "As did Levicar. Now, I would like to hear how your mission was carried out."

<CleeseTheImpure>Miran nods, seemingly pleased by this, though when asked to explain his expression becomes slightly clouded. “Please don't judge us too harshly, Mistress. We are not accustomed to work of this nature. We threw ourselves into it with all due enthusiasm, of course, but...” He shakes his head and gives a regretful little sigh. “We didn't wish to anger those in power in Wolfwater, and opted to try and work around that so as to not offend them.” He gestures to the heads. “During our parley with Jevic...well, I believe that these two caught wind of our plans through eavesdropping or somesuch. They attempted to flee into the woods. We caught up to them. My cousin...” Here he gives a little, indulgent shrug. “Is squeemish. I took both heads myself.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"As long as the end result is desirable, and you did not incur the wrath of the town, then all is well," Edith said smoothly. "I strongly recommend that you learn to defend yourselves, and to take lives as needed to preserve the guild's position and purpose. Peace isn't obtained with peace, unfortunately." Her tone was cool and factual, rather than chiding. "You spoke with Jezik?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“We did. He looks down at some place between the throne and his own feet. He takes some time in placing Thorbald's head on the floor, twisting it about to face the throne. “We did.” He straightens. “He chided us for not paying our proper respect when entering the town, and discussing our business with him. We came to an understanding and made our apology...he seemed to accept it, but only if we were to encourage our fellow members to make more regular sojourns. Apparently we are the lifeblood of Wolfwater.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"I do not discourage such sojourns," Edith replied carelessly, though the words themselves sounded as if she had detected some hint of accusation in his own words. "Do encourage the others to visit as you see fit. So Jezik is aware that you were sent to kill Jac and Thorbald?" She questioned. "Did he have any... opinions... on your mission?" She smiled thinly, as if already aware of whatever opinions he may have.

<CleeseTheImpure>“He didn't seem to care about them one way or another, simply our approach to the matter. He also seemed concerned that our task didn't take place in the town proper for some reason. We acquiesced to that wish, though...” He hesitates and fidgets with his sleeve. “I felt that we should do for them where we found them. I was convinced otherwise,” He continues on hurriedly. “And I don't disagree with paying the proper respects.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Outsiders are already eager to condemn the guild for attempting to keep the peace," Edith said with another light wave of her hand. "I would prefer that business be conducted discreetly, and not in the center of town." She leaned forward slightly to peer at Miran, her dark eyes shrewd. "I would much prefer you to speak plainly to me regarding your missions. I understand misdirection is the hobby of the Imperi Trave, but it also tends to make me feel that I am... missing details."

<CleeseTheImpure>He meets the dark eyes head on, his voice questioning and curiosity in his eyes. “I am aware of this particular reputation, Mistress. It has been helpful in the past, even, to perpetuate it.” He pauses and raises his right hand, still slightly grimy from dealing with the heads, to his chin. “I have tried to be succinct, and I can't say that I could quote you every detail of the conversations held in Wolfwater.” He continues staring ahead.

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith continued to peer at him a moment just long enough to be noticeable before she leaned back and nodded. "Very well. To summarize, you arrived at wolfwater, spoke to Jezik concerning the whereabouts of Jac and Thorbald, and they caught wind of it. They attempted to escape into the woods, you followed, and you killed them. Is that correct?" She tilted her head slightly, as if considering something, then elaborated. "I merely want to ensure I understand what took place so that I can prepare for any mishaps. Did anything else of note happen?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“Not quite. No misdirection was meant, mistress, but first we stopped in a tavern ran by...” He pauses to search for the name, raising his hand in an offhand gesture. “...Nuria. We assumed that, given their standing and probably wealth, that they would be there. An injured fellow let us know their actual whereabouts.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Ah," Edith murmured, pausing only briefly to connect the dots. "Then am I correct in assuming that you were told they were with Jezik?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“Yes, mistress. Working as laborers for Jezik's renovations. Hoping to be able to pay their way...somewhere. The bard's college?” His tone goes mildly apologetic as he continues, “Since we were not actually assuming that they would leave the town, I hadn't actually paid much attention to where they intended to go.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith gave a small, inaudible sigh that could only be tracked by the slight rise of her chest. "Very well," She murmured. "If you can think of nothing else relevant that occurred, you may take those heads to groundskeeper. He will know what to do with them."

<CleeseTheImpure>The priest inclines his head at this, followed by inclining his whole body to transfer the heads back into their sack. He hesitates before straightening, though. He remains crouched and clears his throat. “If I may broach something about our previous mission, Mistress...?”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"You may," She said tolerantly, apparently pleased with their success. She straightened up from leaning forward, no longer interested in the heads.

<CleeseTheImpure>He stares down at the head of Thorbald in his hands, Jac's having already been placed back in it's receptacle. “I am a pious man, Mistress. I believe I am here because my God..s... will me to serve the guild.” The head is placed ceremoniously in the bag. “The guild and my family and my gods. There is no order to which I serve – serving one is serving all three.” He closes the sack and rises, the heavy bag hanging from his right hand. “Alfonz was obsessed with you. Taking the Fallen from you, bringing you in for some imagined crime against your own guild. He had a crossbow pointed at my cousin at the time.” The priest pauses and swallows here. “I offered to betray you to serve that end.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>A look of utter surprise crossed the guildmistress's features. Her eyebrows shot up and her head canted in surprise and curiosity. "I am sure he was only obsessed with his own greedy goals," She muttered bitterly. Edith stared at the man for a long moment. Then her face smoothed and her tone went back to normal. Brisk, cool, impersonal. "Why are you telling me this now, Miran?"

<CleeseTheImpure>“Because...” The priest raises his hand as though he is going to touch his face, but instead the hand hovers at around shoulder level. “I wish you to know that I will say anything, do anything, in my service to those three things. The guild, the Gods, my family. Death does not dissuade me. Lying does not dissuade me. I am not trained in many of the skills you require from a Keeper, but nor am I squeemish or disloyal. Words mean nothing, intent means everything. My intent when offering to betray this Guild was to get the bow aimed away from my Family. So that without sacrificing my cousin I could deliver an enemy of this guild to The Sentinel.” Here he doesn't quite nudge the bag with his foot, but definitely draws attention to it. “Just like these two here.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith continued to stare at the man for a long moment. The moment spun out. Finally. "I appreciate your honesty, Miran. Allow me to be honest in return... I doubt your reasons for speaking up. You failed to mention it initially, but now you have chosen to speak of it. Why? Most would keep quiet, for several obvious reasons. And you did keep quiet... until now."

<CleeseTheImpure><CleeseTheImpure> Miran lowers his gaze before the guildmistress's scrutiny, keeping his voice respectful. “I remained silent because the timing was not right. Had I come to you with this...admission... immediately you may have assumed I was simply trying to talk my way out of a failed coup. Had I come to you in the middle ground you may have assumed I was acting out of cowardice and nerves, thinking that you already knew and that I was collapsing under the anticipation.” He pauses, seeming to gather his thoughts. “So I waited until I had proof in hand. Something that could not be argued with or taken out of context by a Fallen who has no reason to love me or mine. Proof that truth – and the control of truth – lives and dies in this guild With you, in other words.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"The control of truth," Edith repeated musingly. "That's an interesting phrase, and I understand the implication behind it, whether you meant to imply anything or not." She glanced at the heads briefly before turning her gaze back on him. "Show me that I can trust you, Miran, and I will do so. Tell me the truth and I will tell you the truth. Is there anything else you wish to speak of?"

<CleeseTheImpure>His voice continues steadily, though there is a touch of shame in it. “Nothing that I could say for certain, given the amount of dissembling that both my colleagues and the Fallen are capable of. But I can keep you updated of what I learn, and I can give you my honest opinion about whatever you wish.” He pauses here and raises his head to gaze at the Guildmistress once more. “I do not have much of a grip on things here. Yet. But what I can say is...I don't trust the Fallen. They hold much back under the guise of following orders. I think my own holds us all in contempt.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"What do you believe the fallen are withholding?" Edith asked curiously. Her face was bland, barely touched by the hint of a smile. "Many would say -myself included- that the fallen are incapable of withholding anything unless ordered to do so by someone who can control them. To say that they arewithholding information suggests many things."

<CleeseTheImpure>“And many a Travian court has made a defense predicated around a technical truth. If they are being commanded to withhold, that is mete and proper.” Another shrug. “If they withhold more than what they are commanded, then that goes against the order that the Gods have chained them with.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Perhaps," Edith said slowly, mulling his words over. Her eyes still haven't left him. "But they were bound to serve against their will. It would not surprise me if they did their best to rebel against orders, no matter how trivial those orders may be. There is also the fact that we know very little about them, despite our fascination of the subject. They must follow orders... but what else? That is why you are here, I am sure."

<CleeseTheImpure>“That is exactly why I'm here.” He agrees, regardless of the intention of those words. “To find out what else. And I intend to do so, one way or another...”

<SpecialSnowflaku>Edith smiled sharply. "That purpose is one I can agree with. We both seek the truth and despise deception."

<CleeseTheImpure>"I seek to serve. The pursuit of truth is simply what I have been tasked this." He reminds - gentle in his tone so that it doesn't really sound like a reminder.

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Of course," Edith agreed, almost absently, finally blinking and glancing briefly toward the doors in thought. "If I were to step down... or some mishap to befall me..." She smiled her razor smile. "Who do you think would be most suited to taking my place?"

<CleeseTheImpure>The priest seems to freeze in place at this question for an instant, face and eyes going equally blank. Just as quickly it passes, something resembling a nervous smile appearing. “I would be remiss in saying anything but...If that were the will of the Gods, than a suitable successor would already be known to you. You have been chosen for your position, thus that would be part of your responsibility. Only you would be deemed fit to choose your replacement.” The nervous smile fades to a frown. “I'm sorry if that isn't much of an answer. Have any of your daughters not showed an aptitude...?”

<SpecialSnowflaku>The razor smile vanished. "My daughters have absolutely no interest in running the guild," She said coolly. "And no aptitude for it. They are certainly out of the question. I am merely asking your opinion, Miran." The smile returned. "I understand you have only just met the others, but surely some have shown aptitude for leadership in your eyes."

<CleeseTheImpure>“For leadership...?” He shakes his head slowly, though more noncommittal than anything else. “For dissembling, for indolence, for rash behavior, yes. None that I have seen have the perspicacity or piety that I would look for in a true leader. Though...” He holds up his right hand. “The Gods give the will to subjugate to those they deem worthy. That being said...” He closes his fist save for one finger. “Ferran-Leon seems to wish to lord himself over those unwilling or unable to challenge him.” He raises another finger up. ”Bixenta shows an enthusiasm in the guidance and discipline of her Fallen.” And a hesitation before raising yet another. “And Brasha holds the witting and unwitting loyalty of many, and naturally treats her Fallen as merely another servant, rather than something to be held in awe.”

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Ah, yes. Young Brasha," Edith said with another smile. "She shows much promise. And wouldn't she have three strong relatives to defend her from the greedy fools who plague every court and guild? Your choices are perceptive."

<CleeseTheImpure>“That is one way to look at it. Another is that she is young and easily cajoled and flattered and manipulated. But...if someone with proper experience were to warn her of these things....and to warn her about the maneuverings of those who claim to be protecting her.” A frown has crept it's way onto the priest's face, as well as a slight creasing of his brow. “You asked my opinion and there it is.” He continues, voice going flat.

<SpecialSnowflaku>"That is another way to look at it, yes," Edith said thoughtfully, as if she hadn't thought of it herself. "Thank you for your honesty and your opinion, Miran. You set an example for many of us Keepers to follow." Her smile faded until only a shadow of it remained. "I'm certain you want to speak to Levicar. You may go, if you have no other concerns to address."

<CleeseTheImpure>Miran bows his head once more, though he doesn't fall into the full display. "Thank you for your time and interesest, Mistress. I will check in on my cousin, by your leave." He bends at the knee to retrieve the sack.

<SpecialSnowflaku>"Of course," Edith replied, seemingly content to remain where she was until Miran left.