[[Day 10 in Palaugrim (Late Afternoon/Night) :: Zairyon]]<br/>By the time everyone was ready for the soiree, minor and drastic transformations had occurred.  Valiar had gained white hairs and Lethe’s hair was now purple to match Cricket’s.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most elaborately dressed woman (after their hostess, of course) was Cricket, who was now being called Konan for the night.  The crossdresser was practically preening in the evening gown lent to him.  Mei and Ethera looked as solemn as ever, the former wearing a more conservative qipao and the latter in a skin-baring dress.  Seraphim looked less than pleased with how much cleavage her dress was showing but her protests earlier had only earned her an offer to wear Kanna’s outfit.  The traveler was smirking in what looked more like a dancer’s outfit than evening-wear given her completely bare stomach and flowing scarves.  The men had all gone with standard formal wear of collared shirts and slacks of varying levels of formality.  Somehow their hosts had even gotten colors to match, making the proposed couples rather obvious.  Leon stared at his unhappy squadmate and wondered how soon the night would end and if he’d still be alive after it.  Adair smiled pleasantly at an apathetic Ethera, glad Rhett had listened to his request.  Mei looked at the ground in fascination, oblivious to the pleased YunQiao beside her.<br/><br/>Orphelia scanned over the couples to make sure everything was okay.  All the pairings made sense except—“Blondie!”  She pointed her fan at the yellow-eyed man, catching everyone’s attention.  “You need to look more talkative!”  When the man said nothing, she amended, “You need to<span style="text-decoration: underline">be</span>more talkative!  Cougar and bait over there make sense” She flipped a hand dismissively at a now indignant Leon and Seraphim, “But I can’t have serious and maneater!  Look swanky!”<br/><br/>Everyone (except a select few) was now looking at her like she was insane.  She heard a disbelieving murmur from bait, “…swanky?” She rolled her eyes in exasperation, “or salacious! Or.. pimpy! Oh my Lords, you have a maneater on your arm!  You better look like you can handle it!”  Said ‘maneater’ didn’t seem to mind her new title at all; if anything, Kanna’s smirk had just gotten larger.  Deimos looked as emotionless as ever.<br/><br/>The blue-haired woman spluttered before turning to someone she knew would resolve her issues, “Thhheeeeeaaaaaaa!!!!!”<br/><br/>Lethe glanced between Deimos and Orphelia, polite smile already plastered on her face.  Deimos stared at her impassively.  Orphelia attempted puppy dog eyes.  Her gaze shifted to her subordinate, trying to ignore the now teary eyes starting in her direction.  After a few moments, she finally opened her mouth<span style="color: silver">“Deimos…”</span>Orphelia was too refined to cheer but she knew victory was hers.<span style="color: silver">“I would greatly appreciate it if you would, ah, speak a bit more tonight… and.. project.. pimpy-ness.”</span>Her intonation made clear she had no idea what “pimpy-ness” meant.<span style="color: silver">“ Leia is doing a lot for us by bringing us to this event and if she thinks we would be more successful by projecting certain.. appearances…”</span>The Seraph stopped speaking when she saw her Rear Guard close his eyes in resignation.  She followed suit, taking the moment everyone was discreetly snickering to gather her resolve.<br/><br/>When her eyes snapped open, her previous hesitation was completely absent.<span style="color: silver">“Everyone.”</span>All humor died at once at the tone.  They were all military; they knew what a tone like that meant.<span style="color: silver">“I’m afraid I have grave news to share.  The High Council and Luciano have declared war on each other.”</span>In the moments the words were settling in, Lethe caught the gaze of every person in front of her.<span style="color: silver">“Master Guilford is leading the Light’s campaign, <span style="font-style: italic">Liberation</span>.  There is good reason to believe that Santa Olivia, Lillith, Raim—they all have to do with Luciano’s response.  This isn’t about the smuggling of Sin Crystals anymore.  This isn’t about tipping a potential war.  We are at war now.  What we learn now is paramount.  We have this rare opportunity to learn what’s going on in the upper echelons of Sin Palaugrim.  We cannot waste this chance.” </span>She waited another moment before finishing,<span style="color: silver">“Team Blonde, Team PMS.  This isn’t about pride anymore.  This is about lives.  Keep your ears open.  Do nothing that could reveal us.”</span>She swallowed and lifted her chin, feeling herself slip into her public persona.<span style="color: silver">“Chins up, everyone.  It’s time to charm.”</span><br/><br/>“Yes it is.  Pair up.  Remember your code names, remember the back story.  Let’s see if you two squads have earned your fame.”  Orphelia smiled challengingly at the men and women assembled before her and then turned to lead the way to the carriages.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>“Lady Orphelia! Lord Rhett! Welcome! Welcome!  Oh, you’ve brought some more starlets?”<br/>“Where else could they understand the true magnificence of Zairyon but at one of your soirees, Lady Moon?”<br/>“Oh, Lady Orphelia! You flatter me!  Your starlets are always welcome, just as you are.  It’s always nice to have new company.”<br/>“And it’s always wonderful to spend more time with longtime friends.  I can’t thank you enough for inviting us again.”<br/>“Oh! Stop!  You’re too kind! Come in, Come in.  And—oh! An extra lady?”<br/>“My distant cousin Marcus and his two nieces.”<br/>“Oh!<span style="font-style: italic">Well</span>.  You’re all<span style="font-style: italic">very</span>welcome!  Come! Come!”<br/><br/>The party of thirteen entered the grand hall, their large party gathering attention immediately.  The guests there all eyed the newcomers speculatively as if trying to determine their worth.  Some had decided currying favor from the Vidaluses were enough reason to advance.<br/><br/>“Lady Orphelia, Lord Rhett, how pleasant to see you again!  And who are your companions?”  And so began the games.  Slowly but steadily, Orphelia and Rhett disposed of Team Blonde and Team PMS into the various circles they thought would have the most information with the least overlap.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>“Why I say!  Piura is a lovely town!  A bit close to them pesky Pristine Knights, but at least the weather is nice!  Say, is it true that the Knights have been demanding tithe from the townsfolk there?”<br/>“I had heard mention of it.”<br/>“Bah! Knights indeed! Nothing but parasites, they are!  The Royal Palaugrimian troops demand nothing for their protection and they extend it equally!”<br/>“They’re from Gless, what did you expect Maurice?” A bored voice drawled, the speaker more interested in the sit of his coat than the conversation.  “When has Gless done anything that’s not in their interests?”<br/>“Too true! Too true!  It’s so nice that Victorie has taken over instead of those old farts.  Finally, we have surplus to invest back into our own lands!”<br/>“Were you having issues before?”  Valiar wondered, “I don’t recall it being that bad in Piura.”<br/>“Then you were lucky your town was too small for those vermin to bother with!  Luciano and Zairyon were practically in shambles under those Glessians’ rule.  Fights every day, roads more potholes than roads.”  Maurice shook his head sadly in remembrance, “All the money went to Gless and Lindela rather than improving the infrastructure here in Palaugrim, even though we produced most of the crops.  It was crazy!  Bumper crops every year here and in Tethel yet we were all on rations.”<br/>Some of the other men nodded as they recalled and chimed in their own examples.  Finally, the bored voice from earlier broke the chain of reminiscing: “Well, it hardly matters anymore.  Victorie took the mayorship and threw out those slavers.  Surely you’ve noticed the increased security and better road conditions?”<br/>Valiar hid his unease under a broad smile.  There had definitely been no mention of rations or starvation in Lindela.  Were all these men delusional or had Laith been hard at work hiding the truth from Gless and Lindela?  He knew firsthand how convincing the Councilor’s PR machine could be.  “Haha!  The roads around Piura are always muddy; it’s hard to tell a difference when we live so close to the mountain!  But yes, now that you mention it, the trip had been surprisingly pleasant for my nieces and I.  We had heard there might be trouble but we never saw anything.”<br/>“Be thankful to the Mayor then!  Sovereign Palaugrim has only prospered under her rule!”<br/>“Here here.  We’ll never let those parasites try to rule us again!”<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Mei stared at the ground placidly, her ears busy with the conversation around her.  Captain had ordered they listen to Lethe and Lethe had ordered they keep their ears open.  YunQiao seemed to have a grasp on the conversation in front of them so she eavesdropped on others.  Two men were whispering in the corner.  Didn’t they know that in the chatter of the ballroom, their quiet voices made them more obvious?<br/><br/>“How are the prisoners doing?”<br/>“Okay.  There’s about a 30 percent survival rate.”<br/>“So high.”<br/>“You mean so low!  The other batch didn’t die as quickly.”<br/>“Yeah, but those were common folk.  These are..” the voice dropped a notch lower, the contrast all the stronger for someone focusing on their conversation “Pristine Knights.  If they can be successfully converted…”<br/>There was a low chuckle, sinister in its tone.<br/><br/>“Oh my dear! I adore your jewelry! Where is it from?”  A voice suddenly interrupted her eavesdropping and Mei looked up, startled.  She blinked rapidly, trying to formulate a response.<br/>“It’s a family heirloom, I’m afraid.”  A smooth voice cut in, drawing her body closer to the one beside her.  “From before the War.  There aren’t many Tiffany’s pieces left.”<br/>“Oh…” She could feel a covetous stare on her chest and Mei fought the urge to squirm.  “It’s so lovely…”  The hand on her arm tightened.  Did he want her to say something?<br/><span style="font-style: italic">Do nothing that could reveal us.</span>Sadly, standing around like a dolt might reveal their ruse.  Mei lifted her head courageously and smiled, hoping it didn’t look as forced as it felt to her.<br/>“I.. I think your necklace is much prettier.  This mostly has sentimental value, but, uhm, I really like how.. elegant! your necklace is.”<br/>The compliment seemed to assuage the other women who smiled and started talking about where she’d gotten it and how exclusive it was.  Mei sighed silently in relief and tried to find the previous conversation.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Despite the pleasant half-smile plastered on his face, YunQiao was busy eyeing the now speaking woman.  When she’d been staring at Mei’s necklace, he had felt a flash of concentrated taint.  Sin already hung in the air but there had been a moment of<span style="font-style: italic">intent</span>as if right on the edge of a Sinner emergence.  No wonder Master Guilford and the High Council had started Liberation.  These people clearly needed their help as soon as possible.<br/><br/>His hand fisted in his pant pocket, restraining himself from grabbing the woman and absolving her.  Normally he would be disgusted someone had let themselves fall so close to Sin but with these people, he could only feel pity.  They were too ignorant to know the truth.  He would look forward to the day they could save these poor people.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Leon stood around awkwardly, glancing at the men and women who surrounded him.  After a mere thirty minutes together, Seraphim had ditched him.  It seemed like she hadn't appreciated Adair's “arm ornament” or their host's cougar comments.  He had drifted through the groups but had been unable to really integrate with any one of them.  It was rather humbling to realize how much of his social suaveness in Gless and Lindela had hinged on his status as a member of Lethe’s squad.  Here, without the reflected glory to shine on him, he was just some random man, and apparently an uninteresting one at that.  Feeling most alone, the youngest Knight meandered towards the fringes of the room.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Keep your ears open. Do nothing that could reveal us.</span><br/><br/>He would just.. be discreet in this corner, behind this potted plant.  He gulped down a swallow of wine.  Most of the drinks here were alcoholic; the only non-alcoholic drinks were clearly meant for the lightweight women, as he’d found out when he first grabbed one.  Sorry, teachings of the Divine Light,<span style="font-style: italic">do nothing that could reveal us</span>, when in Palaugrim...  Hazel eyes roamed the room, taking note of how Deimos and Kanna were whirling around the room in a fast paced, sensual dance.  It was so unlike the other Knight to act so.. ‘pimpy.’  Leon snickered into his cup at the memory of that scene.  Captain definitely had<span style="font-style: italic">no</span>idea what she’d been requesting of their reserved Rear Guard.  Speaking of which, he couldn’t see her white hair anywhere.  Instead, he spotted a jovial looking Valiar laughing along with a bunch of similarly older men.  Oh right, her hair was dyed purple.  He stared into the throngs of people helplessly.  There was no way he’d find her.  Giving up on that task, Leon leaned against the wall and just relaxed as conversation floated over him.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">“That new gown is simply divine!”<br/>“--knock them all the way back to Gless!”<br/>“...so fat now! As if anyone would believe she’s…”<br/>“captured Knights are being transported to…”<br/>“And I said, ‘Why, I’d rather--’”</span><br/><br/>Hazel eyes snapped open as he finally processed what was being said.  What had that been about captured Knights?  It took all his will not to stiffen up and start scouring the room.  Instead, he forced himself to close his eyes again and concentrate.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">“.. than be considered..”</span>Not that one.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">“She’d probably be thinner if she really was.”</span>Not that one either.<br/><span style="font-style: italic">“Not to Tethel?”</span>There.  He was lucky the voices, though still low, were getting closer.  They seemed to be headed for the balcony his potted plant was standing guard by.  He slunk down further behind his poor disguise and hoped they’d be too engrossed in their conversation to notice him.  Luck was on his side again and they passed by without a glance.<br/><br/>“No.  There are less delicate sensibilities to worry about in the Barrens.”<br/>“Delicate sensibilities?  Sinners already walk free on Tethel.  Pure Sinners are hardly considered novel.  What sensibilities are they worrying about?”<br/>“That’s because of the PR campaign they’ve run in Tethel, to make Sinners and Pure Sinners a normal part of life.”  There was a snort of disbelief, “It’s practically an occupation now.  Got a loafing son or daughter who’s no good and just wasting your money?  Give ‘em to the Sinners.  Not only will they become productive members of society, you’ll get a nice bonus for your generosity towards the cause.”<br/>“Crazy Tethelites.  You think they want to spread that insanity to Palaugrim as well?”<br/>“Who knows what Victorie and the Tethel royals want.  At the very least, we don’t have to worry about it.”<br/>“Too true.  You and I have nothing to fear.”  There was a thoughtful lull before the second voice continued, “Although, the program does have its uses.  We don’t have to waste our resources on prisons anymore.”<br/>“Besides the few token prisons, no.  I wonder what will happen when the captives’ holy magic get introduced to the taint on the Barrens.”<br/>“I thought I’d heard the Knights sometimes venture down there?”<br/>“Not for too long… Plus it’s not like they eat the stuff.”<br/>A darkly amused chuckle rang out.  “True that.  But as you said, 30 percent eh?”<br/>“Yes.  We’ll still have to figure out better methods though to raise the survival rate..  We’ll need more of them with this upcoming war.”<br/>There was another chuckle.  “Well, not like we’ll be wanting for Knights after this war.  Aren’t they planning--?”<br/>“Yes.” The first voice interrupted, “Now keep your mouth closed.  The less said, the better.”<br/><br/>The two men wandered back into the ballroom and Leon chanced a glance at the two men.  One was sickly pale with wavy dark hair in a ponytail; the other looked a bit comical with his barely contained evil grin and balding head.  The rookie knight took another fortifying gulp of wine.  He’d have to get one of the others to trail them.  It was too important for him to potentially blunder.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Who would have thought the stick in the mud had it in him?  Kanna smirked at her ‘escort,’ clearly daring him to match her ante.  The blonde Knight only smirked back and dipped her deeply before flipping her back up.  She laughed and they promenaded down the dance floor, finally coming to a halt as the music ended.<br/><br/>“Lady Kanna, that was simply.. marvelous.”  One of the men sighed, his eyes attached to a certain part of her anatomy.<br/>“Would you like to go for a round?”  She smiled suggestively and the men all gulped, clearly trying to decide who would take the vixen on.<br/>“And who said I’d let you?” A velvety voice that had the nearby ladies swooning interrupted.  She turned to see Deimos, in full ‘pimpy’ mode, leering at her.<br/>“Aww, sugar.  Clingy doesn’t look good on you.”  She puckered her lips in a kiss as she walked away, snagging the largest braggart from the group.  “So.. Avenant.. tell me about yourself.”<br/>The man puffed up as his hands grabbed too low for what was appropriate.  “I’m an officer in the Royal Palaugrimian Army.”  Of course he was, why else did he think she had selected him?  Her incredulity didn’t make its way onto her face, instead she licked her lips as she gushed, “Oh really? I love men in uniform.”  He didn’t stand a chance.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>The men left behind all sighed once more, enjoying the view from behind.  As they were all preoccupied, Deimos took the chance to look over the people around him.  Cricket was ensconced in a group of young ladies who were all looking over at him coquettishly.  He had no doubt the man would somehow convince them to be bold enough to descend on another group of bachelors once Cricket had decided who would be the best informant.  Adair looked engaged in his conversation with a bunch of serious looking men.  Although probably the youngest of the group, Vice Captain seemed to fit right in with his erect posture and solemn mien.  Ethera looked bored on his arm, but then again so did every woman in that group.  A few of them were gossiping quietly, but Ethera was located between Adair and another man, leaving her no opportunity to chit chat with anyone else.  From what little he knew of the brunette, he’d guess she preferred it that way.<br/><br/>Their original hosts, Orphelia and Rhett, seemed to be having the time of their lives.  Although they were the guests, it looked as if they were sharing court with the hosts of this soiree. Conversation flowed freely among that gathering.  No doubt they’d have a lot to share after this was all over.<br/><br/>“Lord Deimos.”  He turned to look at the speaker, glad that the male voice meant he didn’t have to project any more ‘pimpy-ness.’  “Your Kanna is simply exquisite.”<br/><br/>His smile turned possessive. “She’s such a flirt.” He replied with amused exasperation, mimicking the tone Rhett had used to Orphelia when he’d first seen them.  “But at least it keeps for entertaining evenings.”<br/><br/>The men all laughed at his words.  A redhead suddenly spoke up, “Better enjoy it while you still can.”  They all turned to the speaker who only looked at them in confusion, “Unless you plan to take her to the battlefield as well?  Surely you plan to fight in the war?”<br/><br/>The mood suddenly turned tenuous with those words.  The redhead looked at the men around him in disbelief.  “You plan to let those vermin run over everything we have accomplished these past years?”  There were noncommittal mutters as everyone looked everywhere else.  “We have Victory herself to lead us!”<br/><br/>“Yes, her name certainly is fortuitous.” Deimos added with a smile.  The first man who had complimented Kanna laughed uneasily as he quipped, “Yes, much better than being led by a shallow man renowned for his yellow flowers!”<br/><br/>The group snickered at their cleverness.<br/><br/>“As if we didn’t already know those stuck up Pristine Knights were nothing but hot air, to be led by one so easily walked over!”<br/><br/>Laughter roared from the group as they continued with their wisecracks.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>Men were<span style="font-style: italic">so</span>easy.  Maybe he shouldn’t be disparaging his own gender, but these men made it hard to think anything else.  A flutter of the eyelashes, a pout, and they were tripping over themselves to impress.  It probably helped that he had, supposedly, one of the wealthiest eligible ladies linked to his elbow.  The way the other girls had deferred to her suggested that, at the very least, ‘Astoria’ was the top cat of their little pack.  It had been easy enough to establish ‘Konan’ as second in command of the group: project confidence, acknowledge the other girl’s presence, and imply she was<span style="font-style: italic">special</span>.  Women were really easy too, at least shallow ones like these.<br/><br/>“Do you think Zairyon will be in danger?”  A sweet looking brunette asked.  Her chocolate eyes were round with fear.<br/>“You don’t have to worry, Lady Charlotte.  I’ll keep you safe.”  The response was drowned out by a round of guffaws from the other men.<br/>“Haha,<span style="font-style: italic">you</span>Dennis?  She won’t even get an extra five seconds to run!”  Their laughs were interrupted by a worried “Oh no!”  One of the men, Joren, turned to Charlotte with a reassuring smile.<br/>“Don’t worry, Lady Charlotte.  There’s no way those brutes will get so far.  A Royal Palaugrimian soldier is worth ten of those ‘Knights.’” He scoffed at the title.  “Besides, Tethel has sent some of their special troops as well.”<br/>“Oh?”  Konan asked inquisitively, turning large hazel eyes adoringly on the man.  “Special troops?”<br/>Joren preened under the attention, clearly having inferred her status as second highest.  “Yep.  They led the charge against Santa Olivia.  Those pansies didn’t stand a chance.  They’re supposed as strong as a Seraph.”<br/>Unlikely, but still worrying.  There was a kernel of truth in everything, he just needed to figure out how much was truth.  Luckily, Astoria unwittingly moved the conversation in the direction he wanted.<br/>“Are they handsome?  There’s just something about men in armor that” she shivered in delight, “is so manly. Like that Knight Guilford…”<br/>“Guilford? The Seraph?” Zahair spoke up with a look of disgust.  “The one with the long hair that looks like a transvestite?”  Was that jealousy Cricket heard?  “The one leading the war to enslave Palaugrim again?”<br/>Astoria blushed hotly at the accusation.  “I just said he was handsome! Not that—well, I wouldn’t mind if he was tied up.”<br/>Uh… bad mental images. VERY BAD.  Time to get off this conversation before he went squick.  “I don’t know about the Seraph.. I’m more interested in men actually.. dedicated to the cause.”  Hazel eyes flickered over the group of males, her implication clear.  “So.. were those special troops hot?”<br/>The men’s preening ended quickly when she moved the conversation back to these potential competitors.  Only Joren was still smirking as he drawled, “Well.. I can’t be a judge if a man is ‘hot’ or not…” All eyes, both female and male, turned to the smug man, “But I’d guess no given they barely look human.”  Charlotte, and some of the other more delicate ladies, gasped in horror.  “They all wear black cloaks and are at least seven feet tall.  Their feet are all clawed as if covered in armor..” His voice dropped conspiratorially, forcing everyone to lean forward, “but I think they’re natural.  Their hands are like Pure Sinner claws covered in armor.”  One of the ladies swooned, prompting a flurry of girlish squeaks.<br/>“Lord Joren! Mind that there are delicate sensibilities here!”  Astoria scolded, though her eyes still looked dreamy.  Cricket had definitely picked a weirdo to attach to.  The young lady who had fainted was escorted away by a servant and an awkward silence fell over the group.  Cricket knew what he wanted to ask next, but it didn’t quite fit with Konan’s image.  Come on Charlotte! Do it for him!  Sadly, his telepathy seemed to be failing today.  He looked sideways at the still dreamy-eyed Astoria.  Alright then, euch!, here it went.<br/>“That doesn’t sound so…” He whispered suggestively, turning an impish half-smile to Astoria.  As he wanted, one of the other girls overheard.<br/>“That sounds horrifying!  Are they safe?!”<br/>THANK YOU LIGHT!<br/>Joren leapt at the chance to show off his superior intellect once more, now there were no swooning ladies to steal the group’s attention.  “Don’t worry, Dalia, Mayor Victorie has perfect control over them.  They all knelt and swore fealty to her.”<br/>Dalia sighed in relief.  “Thank the Lords for Mayor Victorie.  She’s such an amazing woman; with her leading us, I know there’s nothing to fear.”<br/>There were murmurs of assent and the conversation continued from there.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Adair and Ethera were ensconced in a serious conversation, to both their private reliefs.  Their companions were too loquacious to be military men but they seemed to have vast wealth, enough to buy them insider information that they were all too willing to flaunt.<br/><br/>“It’ll be good to get rid of the taint of Pristine Knights from the Island.”<br/>“Yes, it’ll be nice to not have to squeeze everything through the four ports we have.”<br/>“Two now.. With Reids and Ereck being taken over by those marauders.”<br/>“You hadn’t heard?  Reids was reclaimed already.”<br/>“It’s unlikely we can use it for merchandise though.  Those raiders might try for it again, seeing as how they snuck attacked Reids and Ereck.  At least we still have Mandya and Yima.. And Luciano, if Victorie ever lets us use it..”<br/>“You know that’s reserved for special cases, with good reason.  You don’t want Wyervias flying in and out nonstop right next to your houses. Those blasted birds are noisy enough.”  The grey-haired speaker huffed in disgust as he shook his head. “War.  Terrible for business.”<br/>“You think we should let the Glessians run all over us, Lord Horace?”  A silky voice inquired.  Despite the smooth tones, the underlying threat couldn’t be hidden.  Adair glanced over at the speaker; he was the one Leon had pointed out earlier.  Amused purple eyes stared at the group under wavy midnight black hair.  “You forget the useless, burdensome taxes they forced on us?”<br/>Whoever this man was, he was clearly the most important person of the group.  The grey-haired man immediately paled and shook his head, “Of course not Lord Hiten.  It’s been much better since Victorie took power and freed us from the tyranny of the Glessians.”<br/>“Taxes are lower, trade has increased, stability has increased.  Everything has improved under Victorie’s rule.  I’d almost say the Glessians were causing trouble to give themselves a reason to stay.”  Another man scoffed, apparently eager to insert himself in the conversation.<br/>Lord Hiten simply smiled in apparent pleasure at the conversation topic.<br/><br/>“I miss the silks from Lindela.”  Ethera spoke up unexpectedly, one arm outstretched to look at her bracelets in apparent boredom.  Adair tightened his grip on her waist in warning.  Seemingly pleased the foolish woman had been scolded appropriately, the men nonetheless took the time to berate the woman for her silly words.<br/>“Lindelan silk can’t compare with Tethel’s Purist Silk!”<br/>“Plus we now have trade from the Barrens as well.”<br/>“All the Lindelan products were prohibitively expensive anyways.  What do they think we do? Roll in money like their fat behinds?  We actually have to work!”  Lord Horace rejoined, glancing at Lord Hiten for any signal of disapproval.  It seemed the Palaugramians thought working was a virtue, though most of them lacked any calluses.  If anything, Horace seemed to be trying very hard to smooth away the hardened skin on his hands, if the gleam of too much lotion was to be believed.<br/>Adair smiled pleasantly as he added, “Trade from the Barrens?  I don’t think that’s reached Piura yet.”<br/>“It’s still in its infancy right now.” Lord Hiten cut in, one eye narrowing on Lord Horace, who paled and took a sip of wine to hide his expression.  Purple eyes slid to meet green ones and lips slid up in an insincere smile, “We’re still ensuring there are adequate resources before the news becomes more widespread.”<br/>The sandy-haired man nodded in response to the rebuke and moved the topic elsewhere, “I heard that Zairyon was famous for its skilled manufacturing?”<br/>“Oh yes! We’re the most productive manufacturer…”<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/><br/>Really? really?  How many times did she have to hear another ‘que sera sera’ pun before she decked someone in the face?  But then Lethe would be<span style="text-decoration: underline">very</span>not happy with her so she smiled, she simpered, and she imagined the various ways she could defenestrate this person.  There were so many convenient windows!  All she’d learned so far was that ‘Isis’ was the designer behind the Sin Crystal jewelry.  Isis had long been established in jewelry-design; he claimed to have done work before the War with Tiffany’s.  His originals were all in the Isis brand but he’d recently added two new lines: Supris and Cheops.  They were all the rage right now, Jenna had reassured with a pat of her chubby fingers.<br/><br/>“Well, it’s nice for the masses to have access to nice ornaments.”  Marie huffed, tossing her curly blonde hair over her shoulder.  The movement accentuated her bejeweled hand; every finger had at least one ring on it.  Honestly, it reminded Seraphim of her gauntlets.  Maybe the next time she was stuck at one of these shindigs, she should go all rings blazing?  As long as she got the real things, diamonds<span style="font-style: italic">were</span>considered one of the strongest materials in the world.. Maybe she could expense them?  She laughed politely with the rest of the group, imagining trying to justify<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>expense report to Deimos and Adair.  Nah, it’d probably be more temptation to hit the idiots, like the one currently groping her.<br/><br/>She turned to her newest ‘admirer’ with a predatory smile.  The movement conveniently dislodged his hand and she offered her own.  “Hello, Lord?  I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”  But that didn’t stop you from introducing your hand to my ass!  Lech!  The man smiled in what he probably thought looked suave.  Really?  Deimos was doing a better job at swanky than this jerk.<br/><br/>“I heard you discussing Isis’s works.  Masterpieces, aren’t they?”  He didn’t wait for her to agree with him before he continued talking, “I could get you a discount on some of his works.”  he lowered his voice conspiratorially, “I supply him with all his jewels, especially his newest ones.”  Shoot; of course the smarmy one was the useful one.  Seraphim simpered and batted her eyelashes. “Really?” She gushed in a falsetto she barely recognized as her own voice, “I simply adore Isis’s work!”<br/><br/>The man’s grin was starting to become a leer, “I’m sure I could be persuaded to introduce you..”<br/><br/>Of course you could be, why didn’t you just ask her to jump up and down a few times as well?  The pink-haired woman only smiled wider and intertwined her fingers with his.  “Perhaps a dance might help?”<span style="font-style: italic">There’s no way you made that much money just from waitressing.  Stop spreading your legs for every man that walks in.</span>The memory came unbidden but Seraphim had done the dog and pony show enough times she didn’t falter.  Who would have thought she did more insinuating now she was a member of the Pristine Knights than she ever had before?  She just pushed her lips up higher and restarted the conversation, “So did you help inspire the Cheops and Supris lines?”<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>“I wish Victorie could have come to this event.”  Nakuru sighed despondently, glancing around the room in boredom.<br/><span style="color: silver">“Victorie?”</span><br/>“The mayor! Of Luciano? Leader of Sovereign Palaugrim?”  Red eyes glanced at her in superior disbelief.<br/><span style="color: silver">“I wasn’t aware she was called so informally.”</span>‘Thea’ responded mildly,<span style="color: silver">“Everyone in Piura still calls her Mayor Victorie.”</span><br/>“Well,” Nakuru stared down at her with a small smirk, “Here in Zairyon and Luciano, we’re close enough to her that she insists we just call her Victorie.”<br/>“She says she’s just another citizen working for the betterment of Palaugrim, like everyone else.”  Meredy’s smile for the newcomer was compassionate, “So instead of using all the titles like those Glessians or Lindelans insist upon, we should all simply be Lord or Lady, Mister or Mistress.  Any more than that is extravagant and places unnecessary boundaries between us.”<br/>Blue eyes blinked in understanding but Thea said nothing.  That actually made sense.  It would be nice if everyone treated each other like equals rather than all the formal titles that distinguished everyone back home: High Councilor, Knight Commander, Knight Captain, Advocate, and most annoyingly, Seraph.<br/>“Yeah, besides, demeanor and poise can clearly distinguish the Ladies from the Mistresses.”  Shiho commented snidely, earning herself a titter from Nakuru and Louise.<br/>“I think it’s wonderful that everyone is becoming more equal!”  Meredy added sincerely.  “Victorie’s dream of a meritocracy sounds amazing!  Imagine being able to do whatever you wanted based purely on your talents!”  The other ladies around them didn’t seem to share her enthusiasm.  The silence hung there long enough that even Meredy started to realize something was wrong.  Her smile faltered as her eyes darted around the group.  Most of them were shying away from her gaze.  Only the newcomer, Nakuru, Louise, and Shiho were willing to catch her eye.<br/>“As I said.. demeanor and poise.”<br/>Meredy flushed, eyes dropping to the ground in humiliation.<br/><span style="color: silver">“I think passion is important as well.  At the end of our lives, do we want to be judged because of what we’ve accomplished or because of what circumstance granted us?”</span>Thea ignored the many gazes now directed to her with ease.<span style="color: silver">“Victorie is the first woman to hold Mayorship of Luciano?”</span><br/>“Yes.  The first in all of Palaugrim, really.  And she was the leading force behind establishing Sovereign Palaugrim.”  Nakuru’s distaste for the plebian newcomer was outweighed by her need to show her superior intellect.  “She is the most accomplished woman in all time.”<br/>An awkward silence fell upon the group once more, none willing to dispute Nakuru’s challenging words.  Shiho huffed and then turned to speak loudly to Louise and Nakuru: “Can you believe Lady Moon’s wearing that gown?  Does she not realize she’s fifty? Not fifteen?”<br/>Chatter filtered back into the group except for the still ashamed Meredy and the newcomer who stood beside her.  Unable to not help the sad person beside her, Lethe reached a hand out comfortingly.<span style="color: silver">““Pardon my ignorance, what other changes has Victorie enacted?”</span><br/>Green eyes looked at her warily but seemed reassured after a moment.  With a small smile, Meredy started speaking once more of everything the Mayor of Luciano had accomplished.<br/><br/>“So, Thea, is that a Cheops?” Louise interrupted, drawing everyone’s attention to the simple pendant Orphelia had forced her to wear.  Lethe raised a hand to the necklace self consciously, feeling countless stares on her throat,<span style="color: silver">“Uhm, no.  It’s an Isis.”</span>There was a hiss of surprise from all present.<br/>“Really? They’re so expensive! Who gave it to you?”<br/><span style="color: silver">“A friend.”</span>Lethe confessed shyly, thinking fondly of Orphelia.  It had been such a long time since they’d last seen each other.<br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “It must be a special friend to have put such a charming smile on your face.”</span>A voice spoke up from behind her.  There was a chorus of gasps as she turned to face the newest arrival.  Surprised blue eyes stared into confident turquoise ones as a tanned hand reached out to push her currently-purple hair behind her ear.<br/><span style="color: silver">“Ye-Yes.”</span>Lethe stammered, caught between answering and being overwhelmed at the sudden appearance of such a dominant presence.<span style="color: silver">“She’s very special to me.”</span><br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “Oh? Pray tell who the lucky lady is.”</span><br/>Lethe’s surprise was quickly giving way to confusion, especially with how silent everyone was behind her.<span style="color: silver"> “Or-Orphelia?  We’re—she’s my aunt.”</span>She quickly amended at the last minute, remembering the story they had concocted.<br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “Ah.”</span>The stranger straightened and turned to look in the direction of where Lethe guessed Orphelia was.  Her friend had insisted she wear baby heels to emphasize her image of being young (and was it really a good thing that at twenty nine, she was trying to pass as someone a decade younger?), but it made her even shorter than normal.<span style="color: turquoise"> “Your Aunt is an amazing woman.  Lord Rhett is lucky to have her.”</span><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Ye-Yes?”</span>That had somehow sounded like more than admiration?<br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “And your name is?”</span>Piercing turquoise eyes had shifted their focus back to her.  The color reminded her of her hazy memories of the sea from before the Islands.<br/><span style="color: Silver"> “Thea.. And you are?”</span><br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “Goddess, hm? It certainly fits you.  My name is Victorie.”</span>The blonde smiled at the fetching blush she had elicited with her compliment, the expression turning a touch smug at the suddenly wide-eyed look the girl was giving her.<br/><br/>Lethe glanced to the side only to see the ladies she’d been talking with had all taken a step back and were staring at her and Victorie in everything from awe to disbelief.  So… Yes, this would be the Mayor of Luciano who had just taken her hand and—her head whipped back at the feeling of lips on her knuckles.  They-they didn’t even do that in Gless! What?  She could feel herself overheating in confusion.  The Mayor of Luciano, leader of the Sin-controlled territories was—was— her brain refused to process anymore.<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “I think I broke her.”</span>Victorie mused aloud, looking at the shell-shocked girl in front of her.  Thea was so adorable with her big blue eyes and purple hair, dressed in that knee-length dress.  She looked so innocent.  Victorie wanted to corrupt it.  She tugged on the hand still in her grasp, sending the girl stumbling into her.  The sudden movement seemed to jar Thea from her stupor and wide eyes stared up at her.<span style="color: turquoise"> “Shall we dance?”</span>Before Thea could refuse, Victorie was leading the other girl to the dance floor.  Who would have thought she’d find such a cute toy here in Zairyon?  She had just meant to stop by and make sure the Zaryonians nobles were placated, but it looked like her trip had been fortuitous.  A twitch of her finger had the music changing to a Viennese waltz.  Taking her compliant partner in her arms, the Mayor of Luciano started leading the other woman through the first steps of the dance.<br/><br/>She… She was dancing the Viennese Waltz… in the middle of Zairyon… in the middle of a war… with the leader of the Sin-controlled territories.  SHE, a “SERAPH,” was dancing the<span style="font-style: italic">Viennese Waltz</span>in the middle of enemy territory during a war with her ‘eternal opposite’ (minus demons, God of Sins, Pure Sinners, etc.). Lethe could feel hysteria bubbling within her.  Sin attracts Sin, huh?  She could only think in disbelief as her feet automatically moved through the steps Laith had forced her to learn.  She finally couldn’t contain it anymore and the laughter escaped.  If she didn’t laugh, she’d probably cry instead and she couldn’t do<span style="font-style: italic">that</span>.  Her hysteria transformed into mirth at the utter ridiculousness of the situation.  Oh lights above, she was dancing with the leader of the Sin-Controlled territories.  Would ironies never cease? Still laughing at her situation, Lethe stopped following on autopilot and consciously joined the dance.<br/><br/>The two flowed around the dance floor with the grace befitting two female leaders of their respective factions, though only one knew the truth.  Victorie was too amazed at the little girl’s finesse to contemplate further.  Thea had been lovely with her embarassed smile, adorable with her doe-eyes, and utterly captivating in her joy as she laughed and danced through the waltz.  When they finally came to an end, Thea was still smiling with mirth.  She was—<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “Enchanteur.”</span>Those sparkling blue eyes finally returned their attention her way.<span style="color: silver"> “Hm?”</span>So innocent, she didn’t even know how amazing she was.  Victorie wasn’t letting this one get away.<span style="color: turquoise"> “You truly live up to your name, my dear.”</span>She kissed the hand in her grasp once more and enjoyed the blush it recalled.  Placing one hand possessively around the smaller woman’s waist, Victorie led them back to the group she had taken Thea from, not that she was planning to<span style="font-style: italic">return</span>Thea.  Half the ladies there looked star struck while the other half looked envious.  Hmm, that could be fun.  She tilted her head down to share a smile with Thea but was disappointed to note the other woman’s attention was on something else.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Konan!”</span>And then Thea was out of her gasp and in the clutches of some harpy.  Displeased turquoise eyes met equally unhappy brown ones.  “Thea.”  The harpy smiled, intertwining her fingers with Thea’s.  “Did you have a nice evening?”  The harpy pulled<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>goddess close and the two pressed their cheeks against each other.  It was a touching scene… not.  Bitch had better get her hands off Thea or she’d<span style="font-style: italic">cut</span>them off.<br/><br/>The smaller, blue-eyed girl only laughed in response to the inquiry.  “Uncle was just telling me it’s time to go home.”  At least they were related, so not competition.  But still clearly not friendly towards her interests.  Victorie pasted her social smile on and stepped forward, extending a hand.<span style="color: turquoise"> “Excuse me for not introducing myself.  I’m Victorie, Mayor of Luciano.”</span><br/><br/>Distrustful eyes stared back at her but reluctantly shook her hand.  “Konan, Thea’s sister.  It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mayor Victorie, but I’m afraid we must be leaving.”  Konan had pulled her hand out too fast for her hold onto it.  And here must be their uncle.  An older man, white streaking through his otherwise black hair, was approaching with a congenial smile.  “Mayor Victorie!  Such a pleasure to meet you!  Such a pleasure!  Unfortunately, our carriage is about to leave.”  His eyes darted to the door as if wishing to stall its arrival.  “And, alas, we must be on it or else we’ll walk.”  He shook his head sadly.<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise">“I’m sure I can speak with your carriage and arrange for a later pick up time.”</span>She offered with an equally congenial smile.<br/><br/>“Your generosity is as the rumors said!  Unfortunately, I think the rest of our party is ready to go.”  He nodded to a couple standing by the door.  The sandy-haired man’s smile looked tight and the dark-haired woman was resting heavily against his arm.  Relatives as well?<br/><br/><span style="color: turquoise"> “Perhaps Lady Orphelia—”</span>She was cut off by a distressed voice:<span style="color: silver"> “Oh no! Mei!  Is she okay, Marcus?”</span>Thea was now looking at the couple with alarm, tugging on her sister’s arm to get there faster.  Victorie was being thwarted at every turn.  Swallowing the bitter taste of defeat, she turned a pleasant smile to Thea.<span style="color: turquoise"> “May I escort you out?”</span>Worried blue eyes glanced her way but their owner’s mind was clearly on something other than her.<br/><br/>“Ahh, how about I escort you, Mayor?  I hope you don’t mind my being such an old man, but Thea looks distressed enough.”  The ingratiating man offered, puffing himself up.  With a tight smile, Victorie laid her hand on the man’s arm and followed him to the door.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t much more time for her and her obsession.  She was just able to get in an offer to meet tomorrow, which received a decidedly noncommittal (and in Thea’s case, distracted) reply, and then they were gone.<br/><br/>Flat turquoise eyes watched the progress of the escaping carriage.  If only she wasn’t in public…  Her fist trembled with the urge to<span style="font-style: italic">hit</span>something.  She’d just hurry and finish this evening then.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">~~~</div><br/>The ride back was ominously quiet after Mei ‘miraculously’ regained her health.  All attempts to speak with Lethe were met with silence and the others reverted to watching the Seraph cautiously.  They were met at the gate by a cheerful Orphelia who ushered all of them to their own rooms with veiled warnings that they’d better not leave their rooms.  Lethe she directed to the servant’s dining room where a stack of plates already awaited their doom on a basic wooden table.<br/><br/>The normally white-haired Knight stared blankly at wall, her hands clenched in fists.  “Thea..?”  Orphelia finally prompted cautiously.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“WHAT THE HELL?!”</span>The silence was destroyed by the sound of countless plates shattering as Lethe threw the table into the wall.  Orphelia winced and nudged the box of saucers closer to the enraged woman who only lifted the entire crate and threw it at the wall as well.  Orphelia eyed the boxes she’d had the servants bring in.  They.. might need more than one dinner set.<br/><br/>It had been an old tradition at the orphanage that good children were rewarded with the leftover, chipped dinnerware.  While it might seem an odd prize, the Advocates had thought that it was better for unhappy children to take their frustration out by throwing spare items at a wall rather than hitting each other.  There were a few battered pillows to throw around, but nothing was as satisfying as the break of pottery on the wall when one was frustrated.  Thus, leftover dinnerware was the rare prize good children could earn for the inevitable time when they became upset.<br/><br/>Magic flared and the keyblades Lethe was so famous for suddenly appeared.  Was Lethe.. going to use them on the dinnerware?  Orphelia would definitely need more than one dinner ware set then.  Indeed, another two boxes (bread/butter plates and the supper bowls) went flying into the wall as did the entire row of chairs.  After her initial outburst, Lethe was decidedly silent as her swords raged around her, knocking everything not bolted down into the walls.  Finally, the destruction came to a lull as the keyblades whirled around one of the boxes.  The blades lifted the box to elbow height so Lethe could throw the teacups one by one at the wall.  The shattered pieces clinked against the porcelain already littering the ground.  Oh that was good, if Lethe was throwing them individually, she must be calming down.<br/><br/>Now reassured the bulk of Lethe’s temper was sated, Orphelia leaned back in her chair to wait out the rest.  Her hand came to rest on her stomach and she smiled fondly, rubbing the area absent-mindedly.  The sound of breaking teacups finally halted and then silence reigned supreme.  The room was covered in porcelain fragments except for the area around them.  It’s not like Lethe would have ever let someone else get hurt, even when she was upset.  There was a huff and then Lethe collapsed on the ground, cheek resting on Orphelia’s knee.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver"> “Sorry about that.”</span><br/>“No~ problem!”<br/><span style="color: silver"> “Seriously, what the hell?”</span>Lethe’s head rolled back to stare at her, exhaustion and disbelief warring on her face.<br/>“Tsk tsk, Lethe, a Seraph like you using such dirty words?  I should wash your mouth out with soap.”  Orphelia mock scolded, the smile on her lips a clear indication she was joking.<br/><span style="color: silver">“Blleehhh”</span>was the eloquent response.<span style="color: silver">“I hate that title.”</span>Lethe confessed, gaze moving to the ceiling above.<br/>“It does sound pretty pretentious.  First order of angels, huh?  Though..” The Zairyonian scrunched her nose up. “Cherubs would sound even worse.”<br/><span style="color: silver">“Fear me.  I’m Cupid.  I wear a diaper and I’m going to hit you with the power of looooovvveee.”</span><br/>Orphelia laughed at the deadpan.  “How long has it been since we read that fantasy novel?  Lords, it would have been before you left for training… Fifteen years at least?  Lords, we’re old.”<br/><span style="color: silver">“Old in body, old in spirit.”</span><br/>She jostled the head resting on her leg in chastisement.<br/><span style="color: silver">“Seriously… For light’s sake, Leia, I just danced the Viennese Waltz with the freaking <span style="font-style: italic">leader of the Sin-Controlled territories</span>!“</span><br/>“Well, when you put it like that, it does sound a lot worse.. Can’t we just go with ‘you danced with a lovely lady’..?”<br/>There was no response.<br/>“Who… looked like she wanted to kidnap you?”<br/>That finally prompted a response.  Lethe jolted off her leg and turned to look at her in disbelief<span style="color: silver">”What?!”</span><br/>“Uh.. yeah… how many people do you think she takes for a dance?  And then.. you know.. wraps her arm around your waist, glares daggers at your ‘sister,’ and then sees off to your carriage?”<br/><span style="color: silver">“…Maybe she was being polite?”</span><br/>“… and maybe I’m secretly a member of the High Council and I plan to make nudity a new requirement for all hot guys?”<br/>‘Revolted,’ would be the only good description for the look that took over Lethe’s face at that decision.<span style="color: silver">“I’m going to pretend I <span style="font-style: italic">never</span> heard that.”</span><br/>Orphelia snorted.  “Hot guys are hot.  Naked is better.  You think Rhett and I do the nasty clothed?”<br/><span style="color: silver"> “WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION RIGHT NOW!!”</span><br/>The snort transformed into a laugh and soon Lethe was joining in for no reason besides being caught up in the sound.  “You’re still so innocent, Thea.”  The Zairyonian stretched her hand out to pat the other woman on the head, feeling Lethe lean back against her legs.  “One of these days, you’re going to find a guy and fall in love and get married and then you’ll understand.”<br/>Lethe only scoffed in response.<span style="color: silver">“I doubt that, Leia.”</span>The words were too soft to be anything but truth.  Orphelia lifted her head to look at her old friend who was now staring back, her body twisted so that her chin rested on her crossed arms which rested on Orphelia’s knees.<span style="color: silver">“I don’t think marriage is in my future.. or a guy.. or love, not the way you’re implying at least.”</span><br/>Orphelia jostled her knee again when Lethe fell silent, forcing the other woman from her reverie.  “And why ever not?”<br/><span style="color: silver">“There’s still too much to be done.”</span>And maybe in Lethe’s world, that explained it all.  The blue-haired woman simply sighed and leaned back in her chair, resting her head against the back of the abnormally high chair, now that she thought about it.  A companionable silence fell over them.<br/><br/>“Hey, Thea.”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Hmm?”</span><br/><br/>“Could you absolve me?”<br/><br/>Blue eyes glanced up to look at her old friend.  It wasn’t a weird request, but usually (the rare times they met) she was the one offering.  Seeing no answer to the mystery, she laid her head back down and gathered her magic.  The light slowly seeped into the other woman as she took the extra time and attention to make sure she thoroughly cleansed her friend.<br/><br/>Suddenly, she jolted straight up with wide eyes.<span style="color: silver"> “Leia!”</span><br/><br/>Orphelia blinked back sleepily, lethargic between the long night and the comfort of holy magic’s embrace.  “Yes, Thea?”<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“You’re..”</span><br/><br/>“Yep.  Almost three months now.”  The blue-haired woman’s head lolled back, “Her name will be Memnosyne.”<br/><br/>Wide blue eyes only grew rounder.  “Leia…”<br/><br/>A laugh was her response, only the tiniest bit bitter.  “You’re the only one left, Thea.  You, me, Caden, Maya.. if she’s still alive.”  After a pause, Orphelia added contemplatively, “I think Rhett thinks I threw the alphabet at the wall and chose whatever stuck to the wall.  Hah! As if the alphabet has two e’s and m’s.  Her nickname will be Mimi.. or is that too.. self centered?  She could be Seena.. the a’s and e’s will live on.”<br/><br/>Lethe only stared at her now rambling friend.  The other woman was clearly exhausted, and she’d—Lethe grimaced, realizing Leia was only awake because of her temper tantrum.  Getting to her feet, she lifted the babbling woman with the help of her swords.  Down the corridor she walked, not entirely certain where she was going except that a pregnant woman shouldn’t be sleeping in a chair in the middle of a trashed room.  In the parlor, she found a dozing Rhett by a banked fire.  He had clearly stayed up to ensure his wife got back to her bed properly.<br/><br/><span style="color: silver">“Rhett.”</span>He woke at the sound of his name, his attention slowly focusing on her and the burden she carried.<span style="color: silver">“Congratulations.”</span><br/><br/>He smiled back, his fatigue unable to mask his joy.  “Thank you.  I can take Orphie.”<br/><br/>She considered arguing.  As a Knight, her strength was probably higher than his.  But—he was her husband.  If anyone deserved to take her last, and closest, orphanmate from her, it was Rhett.<span style="color: silver">“I’m going to stay up a bit later.. But go to bed, Leia needs to stay warm and keep her health up.”</span>Rhett looked hesitant but nodded in acquiescence.  He wanted his bed and he wanted his wife in bed; he knew Lethe could handle herself.  With a “good night,” the two Zairyonians were back on their way to their bed.<br/><br/>Lethe stood in the now empty room, gazing after the couple a bit wistfully.  That would be nice.  To have someone like that.  The smiling image of her parents floated through her head and for once she wasn’t bitter.  Eleanor and Kaeden may not have been in love, but there were a few moments where the three of them had been happy together.  She wandered to the window and stared out at the blobs of darkness.  Maybe it wasn’t for her, but there were many who still deserved it. Love. Happiness. Safety.  Marielle and Valiar.  Orphelia and Rhett.  Countless others she hadn’t met yet.  They were the reason she kept on fighting her own nature, kept fighting even when the taint was deep within her.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Memnosyne..</span>Her imagination conjured a child with vivid green eyes and blue-tinted black hair.<span style="font-style: italic">I promise you’ll grow up in a world free from Sin.</span>