| Coming Clean |
| Summary: | Alia confesses the truth about her recent disappearance to her faithful guards. |
| Date: | 1875-06-16 |
| Related: | Rumble In The Jungle |
| NPCs: | Marcus Flavius, head of Alia's personal guard. |
| Players: |
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"Princepsa, you understand that I have to ask you such questions." Marcus did both sound and look apologetic, as he and the two other guards with him, spread out around the room and gazing at the woman sitting at her workbench. The remaining three were likely outside guarding the door and making the residents of the Guild uncomfortable. "You have never before left us behind, and now you return and we find you looking as though you have been in some fight that you did not come out the victor in. And you have refused to tell us what has happened to you. You must understand that this is not because we do not trust you, but because we must have answers. What are we to tell the Princeps when he asks us why we return his wife to him in a worse state than she left?"
Alia sighed, not quite resigned but…"I am sorry, Marcus, I did not mean to run off. Well, I did, but I did not wish to risk your lives over some foolish folly." Alia understood that in the grand scheme of things, her life was more valuable to the Empire than theirs, or so they would say, but that was not a sentiment that sat well with her. "You have heard of this new Adventurers' Guild? Funded and supported by the Queen of Ryalta?" The mere mention of such a thing brought a frown to Marcus' face. "There have been rumours that there is ancient knowledge there. Books, scrolls, even artifacts of the Sidhe."
Rather than giving the woman the berating she deserved, Marcus erupted into laughter. "Alia-girl. You went off looking for treasure?" The other guards seemed to pick up on his humour, the tension in the room fading, "Clearly, you will think better of leaving us behind the next time you go off. Look at the state of you. Did you fall down into an abandoned well?"
Alia looked actually relieved, at Marcus' change in demeanour. The older legionnaire had been with her since she was first brought into the Empire. First as her monitor and later as one of her trusted guards. "It was not a well. It was a…an old manor, I suppose. And we met…Captain Ivo said they were known to him. Fierce raiders and warriors from somewhere across the seas. Not so very different from the Qatunax, if you ask me. Save he says they do not use fire magic, but have some form of chanting that protects them from taking injury in combat. They were fierce fighters and we barely made it out of the ruin. And with nothing to show for it."
"Except your lives." Marcus' expression turned fierce, as he studied the woman sitting across the room from him, the look on his face still amused, but carrying the same look he might have given one of his own daughters if they had taken it into their heads to do something equally foolish.
"I promise that I won't leave you behind next time, alright? And I will send you off with a message for Darius, so that he will be forewarned."
"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on that wall when he reads that letter." Marcus sobered then, before he stepped back, as if to leave and return to his duties outside of Alia's room, "I know how you feel, Princepsa, I truly do. But in the minds of many in the colonias, you are just as important as the Princeps, now. And the Praetor needs you now more than ever."
"I know, Marcus, and I am sorry. I promise I won't do anything so foolish again."
"See that you don't." Marcus and the two with him turned, stepping out of the room and leaving Alia to her thoughts.
A span of perhaps ten minutes passed, before she prepared a letter.
Darius,
I hope that this letter finds you well. I should be home in a few days time. I know that I have been gone longer than I anticipated, but my visit to Four Corners took an unexpected turn. It would seem that the island kingdom of Ryalta has opened its borders to any wishing to explore the old ruins located there. The rumours claim that such ruins hold artifacts of the Sidhe, as well as scrolls and tomes of lore long lost in the West. I took a few days to go and see for myself. I returned with no books, such as I had hoped to find and a bit more battered than I would like…but I made a different sort of discovery. A culture of people who remind me much of the Qatunax, though without their fire magic, at least, not that I saw. I am still trying to learn about them, but it would seem that they are an as yet unknown people in much of the West.
In happier news, I have managed to find a few very useful treatises in the library, and I feel as though I am on the cusp of a breakthrough.The guild has been kind enough to supply me with some more of the serpent skin, so that I can continue my experiments. I will be at the bench all night, I think…but I feel that I am close to greater success on my project than I have ever been.
I will be home soon.
Affectionately,
Alia