As Rose and Girraghen were teaching me enough about metals to make my head start to hurt, Nat ran into the room looking flustered.
“Sir! Sir! Miss Valkyrie has to leave, she’s been summoned by the Chiefs! I don’t know what she did, but Chieftess Natasha seems kinda pissed!” Nat then turned to me and said “Miss, I’ll be praying for your soul and health. I don’t know how you pissed her off but it’d be better to throw yourself on her mercy as soon as possible… or maybe off a bridge to get it over with.”
“I can’t think of anything I did that would warrant going to such lengths, but I guess I’ll have to return another time, Master Girraghen.”
“Aye, take care Valkyrie. Go deal with them and hurry back.”
I then look at Rose who seems eminently torn between her perceived duty to guard me and her love of crafting and her old friend. In the end she left her point in the triangle of people and came to my side.
“Alright kiddo, let’s go see how bad this’ll be.”
I nod slightly at Rose and follow Nat back through the smithy to the storefront where Chieftess Natasha was waiting, this time out of her armor and in a tunic made of painted and beaded leather, the decorations forming a picture of a turtle on the back and what seemed to be a mountain lake on the front. It seemed to be tailored to her and accentuated her muscle that was hidden by her armor last night.
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Wow, this woman is built. I mean like, throw me across the room kinda built. Damn. I look over down at Val and see them blushing. Yeah buddy, I understand completely. Looking back at Natasha I notice the expression on her face after ripping my eyes away from her muscles. Oh fuck, other Nat was right this woman is pissed. Face like a thunderstorm. Wait, that description isn’t as metaphorical as I thought. We enter the room, stand dumbstruck in the doorway for a few seconds, and then the smell of ozone fills the room and I see Val’s hair standing on end. They’re still enraptured but I’m not! This gorgeous dame is a fucking Storm Caller!
“Val. Val. VAL! VAL! VAL WAKE THE FUCK UP BEFORE YOU GET HIT BY LITERAL LIGHTNING!”
Val starts out of their stupor and starts talking a mile a minute while Natasha’s expression stays as dark as ever.
“Um umumuum Ma’am, I’m sorry for staring and for being late to the summons and and um please stop whatever you’re doing with the lightning and such. I’m sorry to have offended you in any way but I feel that we could easily solve things amicably if you’d only just stop building up charge for a lightning strike.”
“Hmm. So, if you’re so desperate to keep your life, tell me: Why have you made a Chief of the Council hunt you down to attend the meeting discussing the problem you dumped in our laps. You wouldn’t be the type to skirt responsibility now, would you? I’ll let you in on a little fact about Fellpoint: We have no executioner. We don’t even have the death penalty unless the crime is truly beyond heinous. Though normally the townsfolk deal with that before we get a chance to step in. So in this instance, when the Sword Duke’s men are behind our bars, and awaiting a justice that steps out of the hierarchy of the nobility, we don’t have a precedent and thus must discuss at length before setting one. So, as the one to bring us this problem, we thought it only right that you plead your side of the case. That the men are guilty is not a question: Trunor and young Emerald both identified them as the assailants and are trusted residents of this community. The question is, as I’ve stated and want to drill into your skull is what we do with them and if we even can or should do anything to them.”
Sparks of electricity are currently jumping between the different metallic weapons in the room, moving in a radius outward from Natasha, gradually encroaching on the doorway we’re in.
“Um. I’m sorry for missing the meeting but noone informed me of its time or that I should attend.”
Her expression grew less dark over the course of her rant and at this turned a bit stony and she cussed something in a language I didn’t know and continued speaking.
“I. Ugh. When did you leave Trunor’s house?”
“Fairly early? Right after breakfast.”
“They should’ve been there by then.” She drags a hand down her face. “Guess I’ll need to have a talk with Quill, she’s apparently slacking. Alright, I’ll cut you some slack this time since it seems that it wasn’t entirely your fault. However, in future, if you cause this big a problem for other people, be more proactive in taking responsibility, ok? I’ll also apologize for losing my cool a bit.”
The smell of ozone gradually fades out and Val’s hair settles down, though it looks a bit frizzier than before. While I breathe a sigh of relief, Val does the half bow, half curtsy thing that is the formal greeting in the empire and says “I would like to thank you for your tolerance of my ignorance in these matters, Chieftess Natasha. I am still young and was fairly sheltered for most of my time growing up and thus am ignorant of many matters of common sense and courtesy.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever kid. Let’s just hurry it up and get a move on, you’ve wasted enough of the Council’s time.” She said, though with the slightest upturn of her lips that might’ve passed for the beginnings of a smile if you squinted hard enough at it.
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Entering into the Town Hall, while it was a large building it was not richly furnished like one might expect of a governmental building. Instead of delicate and plush furnishings meant to convey wealth, instead the place seemed to be trying to convey a sense of solidity, of stationary existence. The chairs in the reception area were thick and solid, made of ordinary hardwood and seemed like they would be difficult to pick up and move. The counters seemed to scream “We are and will always be here for you.” Looking closer, each piece of woodworking seemed to have simple yet unique designs carved into them. Most simple nature imagery, birds and branches, vines and flowers, clouds and streams, that sort of thing. Some carvings were simple shapes and patterns. None of the symbology laid any claim to the traditional stylings of the Empire or Dukedom that dominated the home of the Sword Duke. Refreshing.
I took all that in at a glance while following Chieftess Natasha into the Council’s chambers through a large set of double doors carved with images of the different communities that make up Fellpoint at work building and living in the town. Inside the chamber, four people in formal garb waited, seated at a round table. There was a single empty chair that Chieftess Natasha quickly occupied. To her immediate left is a draconid man, somewhat thin but seemingly made of lean muscle wearing a robe of many fabrics and colors interwoven with metal ornaments. His horns are inlaid with white gold in swirling patterns and knots that trick my eyes as I try to follow them. Draconid faces are hard for me to read but I think he might be angry at the whole situation.
To her right is a demonkin woman with dusky purple skin dotted with white freckles that seemed like stars in the night. She is wearing a coat with a stiff high collar in a military style and form fitting slacks, both in white trimmed with gold. From her head a pair of straight horns curve back along her head; her hair cut short in a lop-sided bob. She has a serious, contemplative demeanor that seemed the equal of life’s greatest questions and thus ready to tackle today’s discussion aptly.
Besides these three there is another man, human, seemingly good-natured with a somewhat strained looking smile on his red, full face. His hair, starting to bald on top, gives him the start to a tonsure. His nervousness is conveyed through the sweat soaking through his clothes, a plain tunic of good quality and sturdy fabric and a woolen kilt.
As there is nowhere for me to sit, I stand in front of the table, the three chiefs sitting on the other side, the human man breaking the balance by sitting off to my left on the side of the table.
After Chieftess Natasha sat down, silence reigned. The chiefs stare at me, I stare back. The key to diplomacy is to be unyielding, to be nervous or unsure of one’s self is to preemptively cede to the demands of the opposing party. They want to put the lives of those men back in the hands of the Duke, and I cannot allow that injustice. After a few moments that feel much longer they break first and we can get down to the heart of the matter.
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Man this is stressful. I’ve never been in trouble with the law before, not even enough to go in front of the principal back in school. I don’t count any of the quests from LoT, video games are different from real life, there aren’t permanent consequences for players. But there are for other NPCs and I’m just floating here biting my non-existent nails waiting for someone to speak first. Just as I’m about to tell Val to say anything Natasha leans forward on the table, fingers interlaced and starts the meeting.
“Valkyrie. You have been summoned here for a reason you already know but I will restate so that everyone can be clear. We are here to discuss the possibility of taking legal action against the criminal soldiers detained by you against this duchy’s jurisdictions. That the prisoners are guilty is not in question due to the testimony of the victims in the case. I will start us off by saying that I believe that acting against the flow of the law will only jeopardize this town’s stability, indiependence, and the safety of its citizens. I cede the floor to Chieftess Azalea Nightingale, speaker for the demonkin within Fellpoint.”
At this the beautiful demonkin woman in the amazingly tailored suit speaks in a voice reminiscent of her name. “It is my current belief that, while aptly deserving of punishment, the physical punishment many of them have already received ex-judicially at the hands of young Ms Valkyrie here is enough for the crime of accessory to the fact. That the primary perpetrator and leader of the gang of thugs has already received a terminal sentence leaves very little in our hands. The victims have also stated that they are not out for more blood than that which has already been spilt. It seems to me that prudence in this matter is key to avoid sullying the name of our fair town. I cede the floor to Chief Tomorrow’s Tonight of the draconids.”
She sat down and the draconid man stood up and spoke in a low baritone that seemed to harmonize with the glass in the room, reverberant and resonant. “It is our belief that assault of one of our own is assault against us all. It is our belief that a thief with a hand is a thief again. It is our belief that chances grow slowly and must be given sparingly or not at all. It is our belief that defense of one’s self and others is not a noble act but a necessary one. It is our belief that rope given slack is a rope lost forever. It is our belief that 17 ropes snapped taught at noon is the surest defense of ourselves. It is our belief that the Duke would see the sense in our deeds, for he too does not brook offense to his person. I cede the floor to Seneschal Godwin Fairplay, speaker of the majority minor.” Damn holy fuck that guy’s intense. He delivered it like a speech, like freakin Caesar taking control, like goddamn stone cold.
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At this point the human man wiped his head and started stammering. “Ye-yes yes thank you, Tomorrow, thank you. Sorry, sorry, Chief Tomorrow. I forgot there’s a gallery this time round. Yes, well, I think that it was a terrible thing, simply terrible what happened to poor Mr Trunor and young Emerald, dreadful really. Ooh gave me the shivers last night just thinking about it. That could’ve been Hyacinth you know! Or even my dear young Rhodes, strapping lad though he may be, he’s but ten. Would be a shame, a dreadful awful shame I’ll say it again. Yes yes, of course Natasha, sorry, Chieftess Natasha, no need to glare at me so I’m getting there I’m getting there. Just working up to it you see. Now, with it being so dreadful the only thing I can think of that would be worse would be the reprisal from the Sword Duke should he count his men and realize a squadron went missing near the road to Fellpoint, men supposedly here for our safety though, as we can all agree I should hope, only to scare the daylights out of us. Yes I agree with Azalea, sorry, sorry, I’ll get it one day, Chieftess Azalea. Prudence is key. As of yet, all we have done is hosted the men in our fair town and tended to what of their wounds we can, however many of them will simply not walk the same way again. Simply dreadful way of it I thought, hearing what Valkyrie’d done to them. But that’s neither here nor there I’d say, what’s past is in fact present and future too if we don’t do something about it and I think we should all agree, though I understand my standing here is simply a voice and not a vote, that giving the men over to the Duke with an explanation along with this young Valkyrie here would be the safest thing for the town to do and would accomplish as much justice as is necessary. Thank you for your time good people. I cede the floor to Chieftess Natasha. See! Got it in the end, haha.”
Holy cow how can you talk that much and say so little. Also, how dare you tell them to throw Val under the bus! That rat bastard! If I was corporeal I’d give him a piece of my mind and a little extra to go with! Honestly the nerve! Oops, Natasha’s speaking again.
“Yes, thank you, Seneschal. So far, as I have gathered. The demonkin believe that we should release the men to the Duke as a punishment has already been meted out. The Draconids call for summary execution by hanging for all involved. The beastfolk believe that we should hand them over to the Duke for punishment and wash our hands of the situation and the majority minor agree with the caveat that we throw Valkyrie here in with the deal as a way to appease the Duke. Is this summation acceptable to all?” Nods all around. Also holy crap That’s what the draconid Chief said? When! Jeezy Creezy this is getting more and more intense. I’m kinda on Natasha and Azalea’s side here, just let the Duke take care of them from here. Val did fuck them up something fierce and I don’t see the reason to potentially put Fellpoint at risk because of a grudge. I also already dealt with the main perpetrator so it seems all good in my book.
Natasha spoke again after the nods. “Then next we will hear from the petitioner. Valkyrie. What would you have us do, having heard our starting positions, and why.”
Val, who I’m not sure has blinked once yet, has been staring across the table, eyes flicking to the eyes of one chief then another. That’s really creepy Val, don’t do that. You’re not only gonna wig them out you’re gonna wig me out. Uggh. Val takes in a deep breath and starts to speak.
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Eye contact is necessary. It is necessary. It is necessary. Don’t stare at one person too long, move between them. How long is long enough? A few seconds probably. But how many is a few? 3? 5? 10? Unclear. Take a deep breath, clear your mind, and speak your piece.
“They deserve the death I would not give them. The only reason the Captain is dead is that if I had not used lethal force Mr Trunor would be dead in his place.” When you lie don’t blink. Don’t flinch. Don’t hesitate. Say it as a fact and believe it as a fact. If Rose hadn’t killed him, I’m sure Trunor would be dead. “If you asked me if I regret the actions I took, I will only tell you that I regret that they were necessary. However, knowing that Mr. Trunor and Emmy are safe is enough to balance the scales in my mind. That’s only personally, however. This is not just about the safety of Mr. Trunor and Emmy, but about the safety of the entire town. No one should need to fear leaving the gates for the day, merchants need to trade and hunters and herb gatherers need the forests. Miners, fishers, picnickers even, need to know they will not be accosted, robbed, and killed simply for leaving their home. This is about sending a message to those others that would come to Fellpoint and commit violence fearing no reprisal. Let them know that you are strong enough to defend yourselves and willing to do what must be done. The Duke will not deliver these men the justice they have earned, nor will he care if it happens a thousand more times. Trust me. He is cruel and apathetic both. Thank you.”
“Psst. Val. Hey. That, uh, that’s real extreme, and like, I get that you’re mad and don’t trust the Duke, but it’s because he’s such an asshole that they really shouldn’t kill those people. Like. Sending a message is cool and all but like nah actually. It won’t do what you want it to and might really come back to bite these folks. No the Duke won’t punish them but also the Duke would TOTALLY punish Fellpoint for going against the law. Hell, they weren’t even technically in their jurisdiction to begin with! I think. Don’t let a grudge get these people killed. It’s not too late to change your mind. Just apologize and tell them you reconsid-”
Rose goes quiet as I look at her. I don’t know what she sees in my eyes but I know what I’m feeling inside and it is a cold and ugly fire at the thought of those men waltzing back into the arms of the Duke to go back out with a pat on the back and a slap on the wrist to continue spreading their evil in the world like a plague. I will not stand for it, cannot stand for it. I look into the eyes of Natasha and will her soul to catch fire with this ugliness inside me, to understand the disgust I feel from the simple knowledge that those men exist in the world, let alone would be allowed to walk free. She meets my gaze and does not falter like Rose did, but Rose is not a leader, she was not trained to make hard decisions and I love her for that, that she can be naive and caring. But leaders must make decisions that would make others blanche. Natasha understands this, I think, and thus can meet my gaze. As I slowly shift to the other two chiefs I see a similar reserve of strength in them. Even if they do not agree with my decision, I am confident that they will have weighed the decision with the appropriate counter-balance for each of their peoples.
Natasha speaks again, still seated as she has been since we entered this room. “You do not speak with the wisdom of your age, or perhaps you do, just tainted with other knowledge. Interesting. Only time and reflection will determine your regret or lack thereof, but I can tell you now that you do not yet know what you will feel a year from now. As for me, my decision stands: We cannot spit in the face of the Duke’s authority. If we had an army of similar might I still would not, simply because my duty is to the lives of my citizens and unlike the Duke I value them higher than my own. I will not waste them lightly. I do not write messages in blood on a corpse’s skin for parchment as you seem to want me to do. Chieftess Azalea, your final decision?”
I feel my fists clench tight, nails that have grown longer since my exile biting deep into my palm. The ugliness burns colder, deeper. Azalea stands up and speaks once more. “It seems clear to me that you, Valkyrie, hold more malice in your small frame than is wise. If you would make decisions for the many people of this town as you seem to want to do, it would do you well to learn to divest your anger from your logic. I do not say this out of fear, I say it out of empathy for the lives that would be lost: Those men were punished enough. There is no evil in this world without redemption and I have heard those men plead for their lives and their health. One of those they may never have returned to them. I will not take the other. My decision to release them back to the Duke stands.” My palms are cold but warm and wet at the same time.
The Draconid stands before Azalea sits down. Reptilian face and eyes impossible for me to read but posture clear. “It is our belief that wisdom is pertinent. It is our belief that mercy is a precious treasure: oft horded, rarely gifted. It is our belief that rash judgements lead to harsh reprisals.” Here he takes a deep sigh and I see his fists unclench. “It is my belief that each of those men deserve death for their crimes were it within my power, but it is our belief that many of my people have died before for honor and satisfaction. It is…it is our belief that the men must return to the Duke, however distasteful it may be. Valkyrie.” He looks into my soul through those classic windows and I hear his voice resonate with the cold inside. “You hold strength inside, but you lack what you need. I too, once lacked it. I have learned, through dedication to us instead of I, how to imitate it. For if you cannot have what you need in its purest form, an imitation will suffice. In my previous decision, I closed my ears and spoke only for I, not for us. I have had time to consider, and I see myself in you and it is not a good thing to see. A mirror is only appealing when we see what we wish. Learn from my mistake before it becomes your transgression. It is our belief that the men should be returned.”
It hurts. The cold fire wants to reject the words but I can feel them echo in my head. He’s right, he’s right and I know it. But it hurts. They all agree that those disgusting things should go back but, they’re right. At some point they stopped being people to me and started being some kind of monsters. Well. Their deeds certainly were monstrous, but if hurting someone for no reason is monstrous, where’s the line between what they did and what I did? Is that what he means? What am I missing? The fire’s going out but it’s taking me with it. I want to clutch at my chest, to feel the holes it’s burning out of me but I can’t show weakness. I can’t. I can’t.
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Man Val looks like someone shot them. Like seriously, they look one second away from clutching at their heart and falling over. They’re crying I think. I guess they didn’t care what I said but Chief Tomorrow’s Tonight has a way with words. I suppose. It’s really interesting to hear him speak, though it’s a similar vocal pattern to most draconids of higher standing. I think it’s how they’re taught. Like how people who go to college speak differently from people in the trades or whatever. But he really emphasized the difference between speaking for himself and speaking as a representative of his people. At least, I assume that was the difference between the “I” and the “us/our/we” usage. I’d love to have a long conversation with him, but that’s kinda impossible. Oh yeah! About his name, Tomorrow’s Tonight. Draconid names are all possessive phrases that typically get abbreviated to just one of the words. It seems his nickname is Tomorrow or Tomorrow’s.
I remember a quest NPC from the mid-game that was named Morning’s Glory. Their quest was something to do with their garden mysteriously disappearing overnight. Turns out, a faerie had played a trick on her that made her garden age backwards rapidly until all the plants went back to being seeds and bulbs in the soil. It was an easy quest for me since my friend Julian, aka The Silver Praetor to the forums, was actually a huge mythology nerd and helped me prepare an offering of milk, honey, and bread. Of course, this was only enough to get the fae to listen to us, afterwards the bargain was made that Glory would continue to make similar offerings each day and as long as they came, the faerie would return gift with gift and the garden would grow exceptionally well. Of course, we couldn’t just say that to the faerie, we had to talk around it in euphemisms and hints and oh my god it wasn’t actually easy I lied, I forgot, it was so so hard. One little screw up and we could’ve angered the fae and gotten ourselves seriously cursed instead.
Right! Val! At some point they left the council room. Shit, I didn’t hear what Natasha said to wrap up but the Chiefs are all still here, minus the human man from earlier who talked a lot. Don’t remember his name. Senchie? Maybe? Anyway, Natasha’s speaking again with her head in her hands.
“Uggghhhhh I hate this. I hate everything about this.”
“Surely you don’t hate Valkyrie, do you?” This coming from Azalea.
“No, I don’t. I want to, kinda, but they’re just a dumb kid. Probably raised by some hard ass that told them to always take an eye for an eye or something equally stupid. They need to learn nuance. Did you see the look in their eye earlier when they were staring at us? Felt like it could melt steel or something. Creepy. They need to learn to be their age.”
“They are young but aged by hardship. Again, I see myself in them. They will grow from this experience I believe. How they do is unknowable but I believe that they will grow positively from this. It is one thing to believe in what you are taught. It is another to teach yourself. But failure teaches us all whether we want it or not.”
“I don’t know what you mean that you see yourself in them Tomorrow. You’ve always been steadfast as long as I’ve known you but never bloodthirsty for no reason.” Azalea spoke again.
“For no reason? No, never was I. But petty reasons? For just reasons? For personal reasons? Always. My father was a warrior first and a father last. He did not raise a son, he trained a warrior in his image and I will always see the world through the lens of combat and bloodshed because of it. As a child I was a monster and I accept this as part of myself and who I was. It was not until I had grown more and finally saw the fear in my mother’s eyes when she first met me that I realized that I was simply my father again, a man I had hated as long as I could remember. It is not easy to renew oneself but it is necessary. To prune that which no longer serves a purpose, to excise a traitorous organ before it can kill. If they stay around, I will see if I cannot speak to them again. I believe they heard my words most clearly but that could be my own conceit whispering in my ear.”
“No. You’re right. Didn’t you see the tears in their eyes when they left? They heard you and some part of them understood. That’s why I can’t hate them. They aren’t a killing machine with no heart and a vague sense of black and white justice, they’re just a kid on their own and it shows. That they have as much power as they do is certainly a double-edged sword. If you can kill that easily growing up, what’s to stop you from seeing every problem as something to be solved with violence?”
“I AM! I’m what’ll stop that. Val won’t be that horrible person, I’ll make sure of it!” I scream at Natasha but my words fade into the void unacknowledged. I don’t think I like her. Even if she says that she doesn’t hate Val, she doesn’t know them like I do. Val wouldn’t be that person…right? I. I can’t be here anymore. I shoot out through the big doors into the reception of the town hall looking for Val but they aren’t there. They aren’t immediately outside the building either. Ah, fuck, where the hell are they?! I need to be there for them! I should’ve just left when they did but I got fucking lost in my own head you stupid idiot Rose! I shoot them a message asking to meet up and where to do so but I don’t get an answer back. Fuck, Val don’t ignore me! Please don’t ignore me, I’m worried about you!
“VAAAAALLLLL!!!!!”