All the roads lead to...., Death's Door

[Siege]

The Marquis remained silent, listening to the new woman toot her own horn while Kane continued to make excuses about his position. Gustav and Ariel, both names made the Marquis grimace, who didn't know Ariel especially after what she did against the Zalerans years ago and Gustav, eh he was just a kiss ass and that kinda annoyed the Marquis though the main part was the fact they were both Aesir. Honestly why was he getting stuck in the same room with people from the factions that tried to forcibly occupy his city in the past.

"Kane," started the Marquis as he made his way to his shield and reached into the compartment Tiffania had opened previously pulling out another vial which he tossed in the direction of the wounded man, the glass was sturdy so hopefully it wouldn't shatter if the man failed to catch it, "I am not gonna pretend I am the most knowledgeable here but if a man can come back from whatever hell you seem to of been through they warrant some respect, more than those who would use civilians as shields anyways."

With that the Marquis hefted his shield up with a grunt, swinging it over his shoulder before pushing his way past Ariel and Gustav showing them the amount of respect he considered they deserved until they proved otherwise. Tiffania watched him go before sighing quietly as she glanced back at Kane.

"It is a healing potion, its effects aren't immediate but it should speed up the mending of your physical injuries... I can't say anything for your mental state though," said the little girl before following her comrade out the door and across the hall. When Tiffania arrived the Marquis was already pulling a seat out from the table in the study. His shield went down with a quiet thud this time the man taking the time to make sure he didn't cause anymore unnecessary damage to the Lady's home.

"You really aren't pleased are you?"

The Marquis grunted at Tiffania before thumping his ass down in the chair and leaning back, closing his eyes trying to ignore the pulsing pain coming from his right hand, the swelling was going down and the coloration was improving though the self-inflicted injury still hadn't healed completely.

"I have learned I am rarely pleased outside of Alegarse these days."

[-Luthe]

(OOC: Everyone is a little tired, me thinks. Tomorrow will look brighter.)

A calloused hand to rub away the approaching headache - tightly shut eyes so that she wouldn't give away her frustration. Gods help these people. Gods save Kane.

Gods... Right. Ariel was a goddess and already on the scene, but that wasn't going to do anyone a whole lot of good since she inherited none of Caspian's powers. She definitely felt the soul fragments reentering her body and Luthe's when he died. She knew he was gone, but the inheritance was just the spirit. Each rendition of the God Aesir only ever had the talents that the host body was naturally born with. Ariel wasn't going to be able to save anyone if they didn't respond to a strong command and a brave example. She didn't have magic to throw at people to solve their problems.

The Marquis made it clear what he wanted. With Gustav in the front and Ariel just behind him, she had enough time to scooch parallel with the open door. Her captain didn't quite make the sidestep. There was a soft clonk against his armor when the desert man pushed by. But the captain was a good natured sort. He gave Ariel an eye, detailing to her without any real communication between them that the Marquis was pissed about something, that he knew this, and that nothing else would come of it. Ariel's look back at him, and it was an almost instant reaction for her because she was protective of her men, said that they two were agreed.

But the Marquis was wrong when he told Kane that he deserved respect for suffering. So wrong. Pitty was for sufferers, and sympathy, and a helping hand. People suffered around the world every day, so it wasn't any great accomplishment that one man survived some nondescript hell. Did he look malnourished? Yeah, and more than most slaves. Shit, if he wasn't bawling all over himself crying "woe is me, woe is me, love and pitty me" so freaking hard, she would probably have ventured to pat him on the back and welcome him home. Fact was, though, he was blubbering instead of doing. He was feeling sorry all over himself, and in her twenty fifth straight waking hour, Ariel just didn't want to hear that dribble.

Let someone else deal with him. Kane wasn't her problem, and he could rot for all the crying he was doing. Ariel cried too, sometimes, but only after the damn work was done.

When Lady Eve chimed in her opinion, hope returned to the Aesir's waning heart. Finally, someone who made a shred of god damned sense. In that moment of relief among all the stressors and bullshit, she could have just kissed that beautiful red headed woman. Tongue, too. Deep tongue. Ariel wiped some dirt from her forehead with the soft inner arm lining of her gauntlet and took the direction to leave the bed chamber. Gustav led. He kept space between her and everyone else. Great blocker.

Holy shit.

[-The Gunslinger]

Rest. Yes, he needed it. But even as the thought of sleep crossed his mind, he was filled with fear. What would happen when he closed his eyes? Would his mental defenses suddenly be lowered, would he find himself once more plagued with visions of the past? He realized that he needed to find a way to cope with all that he had seen. He wouldn't run from that. But if he kept reliving all of the horrors of his imprisonment was there any way he could really keep things out? People got over pain and loss because time faded their memories and dulled their emotions. But with these visions, that wouldn't be the case. He'd either go crazy or make himself emotionless in order to survive.

Neither of those options worked. Neither were options that he would accept.

He couldn't think about it now. Soon, after he'd gotten some rest, but he was too damn weary. His head was throbbing, his hand felt like it was on fire, and he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Some sleep, as Evangeline had suggested, and then he could begin to think about all of this. She wanted his help, but that would have to come later; he doubted he would be able to fix other people's problems until he figured out his own.

He was so tired, so consumed in his own thoughts that he only half heard the warrior man talking to him. Kane was able to catch the vial the man tossed - barely - in his unbroken hand. "Thank you." He replied as the man walked out the door and his companion educated him on the effects of the potion. He honestly didn't know if he would drink it - despite once being a wielder of the light he had always preferred his wounds to heal to old fashion way - but he was grateful all the same.

He laughed when Evangeline offered him her arm, although the sound the came out of his mouth was more akin to a dry cough. "Your subtlety isn't necessary," he said, taking her arm. In truth, he was leaning on her more than anything. Standing up was proving to be more and more difficult, and even with support Kane thought that he'd pass out if he didn't find a place to sit down in another minute.

[-Davina]

She watched as the others filed out and nodded her approval as things were relayed to her via psychic communications. Things were moving, finally. Kane's voice broke into her absent stare and she had to smile a little. "Well, a man can loose everything but if he looses his pride he's back to being a baby." She felt the bones, those were thick atleast but the fact that there were no muscle left had her wincing internally. Food, easy on the density to my room as well as someone to fix my door. She muscled him over to the bed and almost dropped him onto it "We'll get you some food as well as some fluids and some clothes. You'll set female hearts to flutter and make my job difficult."

She didn't bother to look back as she strode across the hall and closed the door behind her. She had a few seconds to study the men and woman who were in her office space, took a deep breath and walked behind her desk. She laid her hands on the desk and leaned forward on them. "What we have is a mess on a few levels. Lady Ariel I have sent your soldiers and what I think were people already from Ardaina back to Roft so that you can put them back in their homes. The rest have opted to stay or will be migrating to Sanctuary and Nazca through their channels. Ultimatum has quarries, we have stone and a good trade center when I can get the rest of the city rebuilt. The structures are still skeletal but it wont take my alchemists long to get them up and running."

She paused for breath and looked at both leaders squarely before she stated facts. "We need food, we need help training people to keep things running and I need help creating a solid infrastructure. In return I have a port that will run ships all day long, I have the finest stone you will find and eventually I will reopen the mage school to start training again as well." She stood back and linked her fingers to wait.

[-Luthe]

Ariel rubbed hair out of her face and picked dirt from her eye. She hated this litigation, mitigation, politician bullshit. Eve didn't seem to like it much better. They were all... Just really tired. Long night into a long day, and no one had even had a chance to strip down and rub the grime from between their folds yet. Probably wouldn't until tomorrow morning, either. Ariel knew that when she got back to camp, it was straight to the cot for her. No... Shit. It wasn't. More work to do.

"Before this shit storm started, Ardania had a double harvest of grain and potatoes. We can pickle vegetables and send them your way to last you the year. I'll have someone write up paperwork to contract the deal and a repayment plan."



"What I want from you is a document declaring mutual interest between Ultimatum and the free nation of Ardania. Now wait..." Ariel threw her hands up. Trust didn't just sprout up from the ground like a weed. She knew she had absolutely no time to refine it between her and anyone else in this room besides her own damn Captain.

"Wait wait... Understand I am the only one left. I don't have a city to equip for war. I have no intention of going to war with anyone any time soon. Caspian is dead. You shake my hand and make a deal with me, and you know it's just with me. No bitch-faced silver-headed golden boys. I want to make sure that the people are safe. That's it. I don't need shadow realm bomber ships showing up at Ardanian ports and blowing us to hell."

While they were at it, Ultimatum could have facilities to house criminals. Gustav leaned in and whispered to the General. Maybe they could utilize some other parts of the city while they were waiting for the last big ferry ride home. "There's still the problem of Captain Bael. He's been in custody since late last night."

"Good. Keep him that way," she said out loud.

"Maam." She gave him an order, but she could tell by the way he breathed his confirmation that Gustav didn't like it one bit.

"He'll be tried in the homeland. I know that second company was in bed with Caspian, but I don't know how many of the men under Bael were in on it. Keep a tight shift of guards posted around our camp. Pull only from fifth company. I know I can trust your boys."

"Maam." This time was slightly more sure. As always, they were on the same page, and Gustav had already taken care of positioning the guards and organizing shifts with the help of his lieutenants. Gustav was a good man. She knew that she could count on him to make the right decisions in battle and out. Good kid. Good man. He'd make a terrific General some day. Keeping two thousand men under lock and key was difficult, but he'd enlisted the help of Captain Cid's soldiers, another handful of the Lady's most trusted. More than doubling Bael's corrupted numbers, they should be able to run a pretty tight ship up until the final migration home.

"I also want you to understand that I am not the ruling party of Ardania now that the infrastructure of Ascantha is gone." Seriously, she was just a warlord with no state to call home, and a million soldiers at her disposal. These soldiers were very quickly going to have to become laborers in the efforts to rebuild the country.

"It's going to be a shit hole of civil unrest until we can get a democratic government in place, and we need all of the friends we can get."

[-Darklingbird]

Auriel had taken note of each guest and filed the information away in her mind. This was a political meeting, and the angel knew damn well she let Eve handle the politics. Her job was to instigate and incite unrest to cushion her Lady’s position. She’d learned long ago, however, not to blindly target the ones Evangeline had as company, unless she wanted to target them all. The people in this realm had the advantage, so she simply quieted herself and got to looking around.

Evangeline lead the others outside of her room. Whatever happened to her door, Auriel couldn’t imagine. She could barely even sense the memories imbedded in the fabric of this place, as she had grown so accustomed to reading in the Shadow Realm. Lifting her chin to listen, Auriel knew Eve’s tone. Instead of following the goddesses and men, she exited the room to allow Kane to rest, but haunted the nearby halls. The petite woman rolled her tensed shoulders, weighed down by the shadows perched atop them; her wings, her memories, the blood.

The time had come to settle her mind. She found a narrow recess near Eve’s meeting room, and sat just inside of it. If one were to pass in the hall, they’d see the lower half of her legs, clad in serious boots, and her bony, slender forearms resting on her knees. The cool, darkness of architecture had always pleased Auriel.

Eve would ring in her when she was needed, until then, she intended to meditate. Slowly, in her mind, wisps of rising smoke brought the visions and feelings of her recent past. The comfort of her holiday house set deep in the woods of her youth, by a black, placid lake. Deeper, her consciousness would break the surface of that water, and she pulled herself down into blackness.

[-Davina]

Eve stopped to study the woman as she talked to her captain, she hadn't changed her bloody clothes and armor either, her hair hung in chunks and strands clumped with dirt and mire just as Eve's did. That was to be respected, Eve could understand that you were the last to get a bath when you led good men, when you were a good leader. She could respect too the fact that the woman had control even when impatience and frustration simmered at the edges of it.

She looked at the Marquis, winked and then smiled a little at the girl/woman/dragon who seemed so amused. She was going to make the deal with Ariel no matter what came next, the female had proven more than her "god" counterparts and Eve would and could respect it but what was it that Alegrarse wanted? "What can I do for you." The question came out half purr and half business and was interrupted when Ariel finished and stated her case to Eve.

She nodded once, good deal. She held a hand out and half smiled at the female, warrior to warrior and woman to woman now. "Ultimatum stands at your back and at your side as you reach out to deal with the unrest. We'll send stone and such from the quarries to help you rebuild your cities and towns and Ill hunt us down some damn paper pusher to get it all written down fancy like. But for the moment... You have my hand and my sword."

[-Luthe]

"Marquis of Alegrarse," she said, quieting down a little. She was starting to feel the drag, and with slacking adrenalin since Eve's acceptance of mutual interest, it was really showing.

"Any contracts you had with the city-state are obviously void." It sounded like an admission of defeat. She wasn't sure why. She hadn't been defeated - Caspian had. "You're no longer under the official dominion of the Aesir."

It wasn't all that surprising that the original surrender of power never seemed to bother him or the other desert nobles in the first place. Alegrarse was so out of the way and had so few resources that Ariel's counterparts never intended to use it for anything more than a staging post, if anything at all. The Marquis probably realized this early on. Honestly, she was almost sure that the business in Alegrarse hadn't change in years, despite the wars going on in the world.

Since she had him here, she figured she'd let him know what was up as a point, and not because she actually assumed that he actually cared.

[Siege]

The Marquis sighed quietly, manners really or he would have sighed aloud and put his feet up for a nap. He hated these meetings; he was the money behind the city not the brains and all the previous nobility knew this, sadly after a certain event only he remained forcing him to pick up all the slack. In the end it was beginning to wear on his nerves.

"I just wanted to be here to state I would assist in an way I can with the stabilization of Ultimatum afterwards we can discuss business, and Orelius I am gonna be blunt and say I don't trust you as far as she can throw you," said the Marquis waving a hand at Tiffania who would of returned a glare but really couldn't disagree with the Marquis's statement at this time. Instead she puffed out her breast less chest and stormed around the table to find a chair away from the Marquis. "That said I can't let my distrust get in the way at the moment and if needed I can offer some assistance though if I do my assistance will be stretched thin, I have some new neighbors I will have to keep track of soon I imagine since the Aesir have been... dealt with."

There was a pause at the end when he glanced at Ariel, yeah the Aesir were done but a lot of the people who fought for them were still present regardless of what banner they stood under now. He sighed again as he raised a hand and began to rub his right temple, he was tired and it had been a long day.

"If it comes off as rude I will say deal cause it is better everyone knows where I stand rather than creating some false conceptions of everyone acting like one big family."