Annabelle swallows. It’s a long time before she speaks up.
”Yeah. No. You don’t get it.” She closes her eyes. ”It’s not just about… how I look. I’m wrong inside. I didn’t kill Helha. I swear I didn’t.”
”But I thought about it. A lot. That whole ride to the fort. I thought about how I’d do it. What it’d feel like. What it’d smell like. What her heartbeat would sound like as it slowed, and stopped. If her body would go cold in my arms.”
She stares at Valaria, trying to see if she flinched – if she recoiled.
”I thought about it for hours. So yeah. It’s different. They’re right. The world would probably be better off without something like me in it.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ary looks to Valaria, "No. I can't say any of those have ever happened to me. But I can say that I have no idea what is mine by merit, and what is mine by deed. You can. You've clawed your way to everything you have, and what little suffering I have to show for my nineteen years is paltry in comparison. Am I a captain because I'm Ary or because I'm a Bishop? Do I have Faith because I'm Ary or because I'm a Bishop? Radiance? How about when the wardstone spared Bishop and cut down Kir? Did I dream of Iomedae as the girl who returned or as the Bishop who returned?" She asked each question, building towards a crescendo. Then she takes a slow, deep breath. "Each of us has our demons, Val." She says a little more calm. "The important thing is to never let them see you bleed."
She then turns to Annabelle, "And I have no idea how I would have dealt with that. I just... don't. If the tables were turned, I can't promise I would have been as strong. Your strength shows that you're not a monster."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Hinagiku smiles gently at Annabelle, a smile devoid of judgement.
"Annabelle, you have felt this only lately, only when you were starving. Am I right? If so, than the answer is simple. Any mortal can be driven toward dark desires when cornered by hunger or hatred. It is the same for you. This does not make you a monster. It only betrays your origins. Now, you have been strong so far, accepting so many things about your new body. You are spectacular. Be strong, let your mind be strong, and please accept that it needs blood as a sustenance."
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
Val's humorless chuckle becomes an outright laughs. It comes out a deep, almost mad, sound that echoes in the small room. "You think you've got it bad? You know, I used to have dreams. Well, not just dreams. More like... visions. You see, my demon blood is strong. And for almost a decade when I was going through puberty, I had dreams. Dreams that showed me exactly what I was descended from. Exactly what my blood was. Exactly what I could be if I just embraced my heritage. I saw succubi feeding. I saw orgies of mad lust and exquisite suffering. I felt what it was like for both sides. I could feel what it was like to have your life drained dry in such a pleasant way that you wanted to live again so you could have it happen over and over. I felt the inhuman pleasure of climaxing as you drained the last drops of life from a human, drinking their soul as you reached the pinnacle of ecstasy." She pulls her legs in, clenching her fists and taking a deep rattling breath. "But I know that's not me. Because as long as I'm willing to fight. As long as I hold on to who I am, the the human heart that's still inside of me, I know that I'll never be that. And you have the same choice. As long as you don't give in, as long as you remember that you're you and not just that hunger, then you're not a monster."
She looks over at Ary and nods slowly. "We all have our demons," she agrees quietly. "But it's up to us if we let other people judge us for those demons or if we'll fight to our dying day to overcome them. Even if you weren't given your awards by merit, do you honestly think that you haven't fought and bleed to prove that you deserve them anyway?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
”I… what?” she says to Valaria, astonished. She didn’t really expect a story like that – it shocks the melancholy out of her. ”Okay. Sorry, I didn’t know that.”
She puts her chin in the palm of her hand, squatting on her stool. ”That’s f&+*ed up.”
”I didn’t go riding cause I needed fresh air. Not really. It’s because I couldn’t stop obsessing over killing one of you while I watched everyone sleep. I just. I don’t know.”
She closes her eyes. ”I’m sorry, guys. I should’ve just listened to Markus. My necromancer knows best.” She smiles a little.
”I just. I just don’t want to. It makes all this too real. So I tried to see if I could go without it. Just willpower. But I’m not strong enough. I see that now.”
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ehren stays behind to console Edgar... if it can be called consolation. For a few moments he is at a loss on what to say to the man. He had been so sure that he had saved the woman, only for her to snatched away in the blink of an eye. The pain Edgar felt had to be far greater than that.
"Bokaeito tlo 't dv aerrv aerb gu'orb," Ehren answers sternly. But then his softens his voice. "Hoaeu do klu'ko, Edgar: vloklou Annabelle 't si'rkv au rak, vaiu Helha v'rr do aeqorsob. Wo titk roob k'do."
Then, with an even lower voice, almost a whisper, he adds urgently, "R'aro 't saro kaa. Da vai irboutkaerb? Yai aeuo klo arrv aro rogk klaek otkaevob guad klato bodart. Yai aeuo tk'rr 'r baersou."
"Rione is gone too. Do you understand? You are the only one left that escaped from those demons. You are still in danger."
"Annabelle, its is not a matter of strength. There are things that are impossible to accomplish, not because of strength but because of what we are. However I might try, I will never be able to not sleep, even if I can diminish the time I need to rest. You are strong, if you weren't, what you fantasized about would have come to pass. But it did not."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Ary doesn't speak as Val goes on her spiel. Her mouth just twists to the side slightly as she furrows her brow. Yeah... in that light, Ary was just being a spoiled brat.
Val slumps against the door. "Yeah. I don't like to talk about it too often. The dreams didn't stop until..." She trails off, one finger slowly tracing the butterfly mark on her cheek. "Until someone helped me. I'd probably be more messed up than I already am if I still had to deal with that every night. I guess I'm lucky that I had someone to help me suppress it." She turns and looks the vampire straight in the eye. "So are you going to learn how to live with it and take control, or are you going to just ignore it until you can't control yourself anymore?"
Edgar frowns. He looks fearful, and murmurs back, ” Yai kl'rx klov daev kuv ka x'rr do rozk? Wlaek tlairb I ba?”
”You think they may try to kill me next? What should I do?”
Annabelle sighs. ”Yeah. I mean. You’re right. I haven’t … had any blood. Ever. Markus keeps trying. So maybe it’s this bad because I let it get so bad.”
She frowns. ”I’m afraid that I’ll still have these thoughts anyway though. I started having them like… the first day. Just snippets of badness.” Her gaze lingers on Isilme.
She groans. ”F&+#. Don’t you guys have things to do other than listen to me whine? Like bailing me outta here?” She forces a grin.
"The thoughts don't matter. Everyone wants to do something bad sometimes. You probably will have to deal with that forever. What matters is if you choose to act on them."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hinagiku enters the cell block, following the guard who guides her to Chaleb’s cell. Arriving there, the crusader pulls open a small opening in the door, calling to the man and announcing the monk. Once he leaves, the Tian woman approaches the opening to look into the dark cell.
”We did not introduce ourselves earlier, please forgive me. My name is Hinagiku, Daisies in your language. I hope good things might come of our meetings.” she says, pausing to hear the answer. It being lewd and insulting, she simply ignores it.
”I am here to try and give you a few words of wisdom so that your soul might not end up in the abyss tortured by demons. I am not here to force anything upon you, simply talk to you and hopefully point you in a direction which will not lead to eternal torment.” she says, her voice soft and kind.
”I understand the desire to live, but remember, your soul will outlive your body. Live a life of servitude to Onis, and you will suffer eternal tortures. Live a life exalted in the strength of the Inheritor of other gods of goodness and you will know eternal bliss.”
”If you are attached to life, you can even pray to the Master of master, follow his teachings and be reincarnated until you become wise enough to join his side. No suffering, no bliss, but eternal enlightenment.”
”Think about it, but also know that a false change of heart will not save you. However, if you desire, I can come more often and teach you about the Master, hopefully changing you forever.” she finishes, staring into his eyes.
"Lok it vuakokk vai. Havoqou kl't orbt, vai kaer too 'k v'kl vaiu avr ovot."
Edgar is a fairly old kellid - maybe 55 years old, but he finds Ehren's presence comforting, somehow. He appraises the young man for a moment, before murmuring. "Dui'b ag kraer Ferron, vai ditk laeqo ae qouv arb tair." He smiles. "I'b do sraeb ka garrav vai."
The sun is shining brightly outside and the angry mob has basically dispersed. Most of the villagers are headed for the fairgrounds - eager for entertainment and cheap drink.
Where do the heroes want to go?
The village is very small - most of the families live in farms up and down the river.
Places of note: Orug’s General Store, Heath and Harvest (an inn), the Mayor’s House (which is also the jail), Festival Grounds, Beer Garden, Big Otto’s farm, Edgar's farm
Ehren is taken aback by Edgar's words, having expected some kind of resistance from the older man. Above that, someone had told him the very same thing just days earlier. The youth he had lamented never seemed to make as much of a difference as he thought it did. He nods firmly, and then returns Edgar's smile.
"All right. I'll see where my friends want to start. We'll get to the bottom of this."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Markus listens to the exchange between Valaria and Ary with bemusement. He could understand Valaria much more than he relates to Ary... but somehow he is closer to Ary than to Valaria. Perhaps it was the nature of his ancestry. Valaria was borne of demons, while his ancestor was a tyrant.
He felt less than a normal human. Dreamed less. Because he was less - less alive.
When Annabelle admits she might be better off trying to drink blood again, Markus smiles, checks to see that nobody's looking, and then bares his arm. "Let's make your jail stay a little easier, then." he says, and thrusts it between the bars. "Not too much if you can help it."
"Annabelle is right, we should get moving and visit the scenes of the crimes," Isilme says as she heads out. "Lets go speak to Orug and investigate the general store first," she suggests.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
”I… ugh,” Annabelle grin vanishes . She grimaces at Markus – pretty much the same grimace she’s given him every time he’s broached the subject. Even though technically this time she’s the one who brought it up.
She watches the others stream out of the jail upstairs, and then out of Tobias’ house to reunite with Ehren outside. She takes a deep breath – trying to center herself – trying to imitate what she’s seen her senpai do every night. She glances at Valaria (and Hinagiku, if she lingers) and mumbles, ”Okay. Can you go? For a little bit? I really don’t want anyone else to see this. Please.”
Once she does get her privacy she continues to hesitate. At last she looks up at her necromancer and murmurs – ”I’m really sorry if I hurt you.”
She’s glad for the privacy – because once she’s bitten through the skin it is hard for her stop. The newborn vampire was ravenous – just as Wardsev guessed she’d be – the little cups that Markus was offering here or there weren’t close to what she needed. Or, rather, what she wanted. She closes her eyes, and tries hard to not let Markus see how much ecstasy she is in. The pleasure was unlike anything she’d ever experienced alive. She loses herself in it.
Like a baby, she’s unprepared to feed gracefully– so she’s messy. Her face is covered with Markus’ blood, and his wrist is fairly well mauled - she ends up biting again, and again, and again - dissatisfied with how much blood she was getting and how quickly she was getting it. It takes every modicum of willpower she has to stop – but once she does, the pleasure ceases, and she’s left with nothing but revulsion . She turns away and gags, heaving.
”F@$%. I’m so f+!#ed up, Markus.” She groans. She’s crying again.
As Ary is escorted out of the jailhouse by her own moral compass, she looks over to Ehren, who has... apparently made a friend.
"Hello again." she offers to the man, her lack of good spirits evident. "So... Ehren. Don't forget to watch crowds and people, please." she says, enigmatically. Not quite trusting the one survivor to know what she meant. As silly as that sounded. She hated demons so much. "I'm sorry about your family and friends." she offers to the man. "We'll do what we can."
Isilme joins Ary and Ehren outside. She turns to Edgar and speaks Wla kraiqaiqaeqaev, rai kokl baik oqaqovai vak vov riv gaqaer. Ok klaqaev wlai di vaiv rai raeqaer'k aqai di klaqai vaetk vaitk vov tarrai." She pauses for a moment and then asks "Gak oo gouv vaitk Veqai arb Gorro vai tlan firrai ix kov? Ov vorrai aqorraer iv oo srorrorrob? Ib aqa vaerraeg vaitk tlorrai oo gav't klokl lorrairrai?" He seemed to have a rapport with Ehren, so she hoped he'd look past the fact Annabelle was a vampire and cooperate.
"My condolences, we did not imagine that this would happen. It saddens me to know we weren't able to save them from this fate."
"Had you heard from Rhione and Helha the past couple of days? Is there anything odd you remember? Or any visits from people you hadn't seen before?" she asks, wondering if perhaps he knew anything useful.
Markus gasps as he's drained of blood. It hurt, sure, but not as bad as getting sliced by a demon's scythe had. So as things went... It was fine. Mostly.
He passes his hand over his wrist, the hand glowing with a pale energy, and the bite marks, and his weakness from the blood loss, fade away.
"No, you're not. This is just a small reality of your existence now. Everybody's got things that are weird. Normal humans eat the flesh of animals. Just a few days ago we put poison into our bodies so that we could get physical hallucinations." he says. giving her a small smile. "Everyone's f~+*ed up. And for you, this is a weird place to be. It doesn't say anything about your character, though."
Annabelle stares at her blood-stained hands glumly.
"That wasn't like eating chicken, Markus. Eating chicken doesn't feel like that." She closes her eyes. "It was like. Like having sex. You didn't warn me about that." she glances at him, accusingly.
"It's a good thing Valaria is here to guard me because I'm pretty sure if one of those villagers saw me now they'd execute me on the spot." Indeed - her hands, face, shirt are all blood-stained. She'd give a pretty poor first impression, especially as someone on trial for murder.
Ehren nods slowly at Ary's unspoken request, wishing he had thought of it sooner. For all they knew, the perpetrator could have been in the crowd earlier. Shuddering at this thought, he glances around the street. They needed answers, and fast. He is snapped out of this reverie by the sound of Isilme speaking Hallit. Ehren looks to her, impressed by her perfect inflection. I should not be surprised. She has been around for longer than any of us.
"We should check on Orug first. Maybe his story will make more sense coming from his mouth," he suggests, not wanting to say outright that the man was a liar. Whoever killed Rione could have just as easily allowed him to live on purpose.
When asked to, Hinagiku took her leave from Annabelle, giving her one last smile, telling her to hang in there, and to trust them.
Outside she nods to Edgar, and says hi, before moving next to Ary.
"Ary, I am really curious as to what the inquisitor will be looking for as clues... would you like me to try an accompany her? I might find out interesting things."
Val simply nods and glances at Markus. "Sure. Take however much time you need. I'll be right outside, so call me when you're ready for me to come back in." She tries to put on an encouraging smile as she closes the door behind her. A sigh escapes her lips as she leans against the door. Hopefully Annabelle will feel a little better once she's had a chance to feed properly.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
"That... that seems like a bonus, honestly." says Markus, cracking a small smirk. "Look, I know it's weird. I know it's really, really weird, and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the feeding."
"But I also know that you're strong, and I know that there's no other real way. We can get Isilme to clean you up, also." he continues. "I'm here for you, whatever you need. And so are all of the others - remember what Ary said? There isn't a person here she wouldn't bleed for. Just because the blood's going into your mouth doesn't mean the loss is any different to her."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Annabelle laughs. "Yeah. Really, really weird. That sums up this past week pretty much. And probably the rest of my life. Or...Unlife," she jokes, weakly. She stands up, picks up her shitty little stool she has to sit on, and moves it closer to the wall so that at least she has something to lean against without having to sit on the dirty floor.
She's stopped crying by now but Markus makes her eyes well up again - but this time it's because she's so moved.
"Yeah. You're right. I dunno what I did to land such a great group of friends. But especially you, Markus. Ever since you woke me up in the gods-damned cess pit with those horrible fly-monsters, you've been looking out for me, and you didn't even know me. That's why I'm even here." She sighs, rubs the tears out of her eyes with the backs of her hands, and stares at him. "And after what happened to me... you could've gotten in real trouble, you know? What if that Wardsev guy was a real jerkhole and just wanted us both dead? But you stuck around, and vouched for me. You didn't run away."
"So... thanks. You're really something else, you know? You're a good person." She pauses. "And ridiculously handsome and well dressed. You've got the whole thing going on." She winks, and calls up the stairs for Valaria before he can respond to that last bit. "Val~ar~i~aaaaa!"
She's still pretty covered in blood - her face, clothes, hands. But maybe she's forgotten - or more like - maybe she suspects that Valaria would be the last person to think differently of her if she saw her like this.
Once Valaria is back, she smirks. "So, if this all turns to shit we all run for it and become outlaws, kay?" She flexes. "Demon-hunting outlaws. The best kind."
She looks at Markus. "Well, good luck with stuff, Lieutenant Necromancer!" She offers him a salute with a bloodied hand. "Or are you sticking around here in the basement of angst?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Val hops up and heads back inside when she hears Annabelle's call. At least she sounds a bit better now. Maybe actually letting herself drink something was exactly what she needed. She doesn't bat an eye at Annabelle's appearance. "Hmmm. I don't suppose you can do that prestidigitation trick Gloomy. Dried blood gets all sticky if you don't clean it up and it's all uncomfortable."
She laughs. "It can't be that hard to knock a few hicks out on the way out. And I've got my lockpicks in my bandoleer just in case."
"No, I'll have to get Isilme to do it on the way out. My magic's less utilitarian and more...warlord-y." says Markus, with a very short chuckle. It was more like a bark of laughter than anything.
"Now we've gotta see about exonerating you." he says, to Annabelle. "Stay safe. Don't be afraid to fight back if they come and try to lynch you - you've got very, very hard fists now, and no amount of hold person can hold you down."
Markus leaves Annabelle and Valaria, then, and goes to fetch Isilme. He finds the celestial with Ehren and another Sarkorian - one of those that he had saved earlier. He rolls up his sleeve. "Isilme, if I could ask a favor... Annabelle needs a small cleaning before we head out."
"Of course, Markus. It would be my pleasure," Isilme says when Markus asks her to help. She heads back in and catches sight of Annabelle and stops for a moment. She's more than a little surprised to see so much blood, but since Markus was alive and seemed alright, she supposed that's just how it went. "Here you go dear, lets get you fixed up so you're not wearing Markus for the rest of the day," she says with a wink. Isilme waves her hands cleaning her once, and then spends a few moments tidying up the cell for her as well, figuring she'd appreciate it. "There, that should be much more tolerable! We'll be back to have you out of here before you know it... well, not before Sunset anyway. But as soon as we can!"
She gives Annabelle a smile and heads out to rejoin the others after making sure Annabelle is satisfied.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
EARLIER:
Edgar is surprised (and delighted) when Isilme – an elf no less - addresses him in his own language. Most kellids are motivated to assimilate – to blend in –as the Mendevian crusades moved into former Sarkorian territory. So speaking their own language was a way of preserving an old way of life.
After all, just a century ago – someone speaking Taldane would have been the outsider – not the man speaking Hallit.
” Na, bar’k draedo vaiutorqot. Na aro kuirv b'ot. Tlov titk aettido rov tlaevot.”
He thinks for a moment. ” I...I bar'k xrav. Ouis tae'b lo gaislk ae vadaer, u'slk? Na tkuaerso vador laeqo door toor aeuairb. Ezkovk klaek qaedv'uo. Okka taev lou u'bo dv l't gaeud 'r klo d'bbro ag klo r'slk.”
” I...I don't know. Orug said he fought a woman. No strange women have been seen around. Except that vampire. Otto saw her ride by his farm in the middle of the night.”
NOW:
Annabelle grins as Isilme cleans her up. ”Ah, but what if I needed a snack later?” she jokes darkly – but she is thankful all the same.
"Oqor, var uo Aeuaiqav. O vair aslk ar lar ti klaeraekko, klislk ov vaedv vaeur vo ar a vaqoqo, ar aqaizkaerv. Ad uo vor ed odaeqot oslk ed vo eqodaqai, voorso vaqo aslk tlog ouir," she responds to him.
Turning to the others, she says, "So, shall we proceed onwards to the Orug's?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Thanks Isilme. She looks better already." Val takes a seat at the door to Annabelle's cell again, getting comfortable for a long wait. "And I'll be right here to make sure that you've got some backup is someone tries to pull some kind of bullsh*t while you're here. We've got this." She chuckles. "I don't know exactly how I'll taste, but if you need a snack, I'm here."
As still another person completely disregards Ary's presence, she just turns to Hinagiku as she addresses her, thankfully in a language she can understand... then looks out towards the outskirts of town, thinking, finally, she turns back.
Ary looks to Hina and shakes her head with a shrug. "I don't really have any idea. What I really want is one of her people with us. So they can verify. But... I can't really command them to give us a witness." she shakes her head with a sigh. "I honestly just don't know. If you feel comfortable moving alone, by all means... but it's your call."
The heroes proceed to Orug’s General Store, since even though Hinagiku’s suggestion is a good one, they don’t actually have any idea where Inqusitor Corum is at this moment.
As they walk, Edgar keeps close to Ehren. He introduces himself to Ary, Hinagiku and Markus – though the older man’s accent is thick and he isn’t very fluent in Common. He mostly just expresses his gratitude over and over – thanking the heroes for their protection and aid.
Maybe you’re just paranoid.
There are only two permanent businesses in town – so his store is not hard to find. The business is both a storefront, but also a private residence – the east room holds stored goods, an office, and apartment. The west room is a barbershop, with two chairs in the front and three rooms in the back for hot baths. The center room is the general store itself.
The store is crowded with people listening to a short kellid with a potbelly recount his story to the enraptured townsfolk. ”Yes, yes! I heard her scream, and I awoke, and there the vampire came in through our back door! Yes, into my very home! And I saw her – that tall woman – hunched over my wife, covered in blood. That monster! Yes! I tried to save her, my poor, sweet Rione. And she lunged at me with that sword, but I ducked – and I swung at her with this ol’ axe. “ He grips an axe in his hand – a hatchet really, meant for cutting firewood.
”But she ducked and ran out the door.”
The crowd is enthralled by the story. Several villagers congratulate Orug on his bravery, and offer words of support – the killer is in jail right now, and should be hanged before tomorrow.
"Orug?" says Markus, walking into the store. He ignores the crowd between him and the general store owner. "We're here to ask you a few questions about what happened the other night."
"You are a captain of the Crusades, Ary," Ehren says in a monotone, so engrossed he is in his concentration. "Your word will be all the verification that is needed. And if not..." He gestures lightly at Edgar. It was more unintentional than anything, but having a villager as a witness would likely have more weight. The druid suddenly frowns when his spirit sense picks up on something, sending his eyes darting off to the side... but there was nothing there. It happens a few more times on their way to the general store, and by the time they get there, he is visibly uncomfortable.
"Nothing here," he murmurs when they enter the store, sounding almost disappointed.
"Remember. Magic isn't infallible." she offers to Ehren. "And also that Markus is a lieutenant. And that Vhane was even higher than either of us. The Crusades aren't infallible... and not everyone uses their rank for the right reasons." She stays out of the way for now, letting the more vocal of the group handle the situation of interrogating, for lack of a better word. Ary would simply listen and pose questions as she thought of them.
Orug turns to look at Markus and frowns. The dhampir doesn't dress like a crusader - but he recognizes the badge as something they would wear.
"And who are you to come in here and ask questions, Southerner?"
It is true that Ulfen, and other races live just as north. But that isn't the point. It is similar to the terms gringo or gaijin.
Isilme moves in behind Markus, listening to the man who is likely Orug recounting his story to the crowd. She tries to find a spot from which she can see him, and listens to him speaking, attempting to see if there are any signs that he's exaggerating or making things up for his audience.
"My name is Markus. I'm a lieutenant and a sorcerer in the service of Crusader Queen Galfrey." he responds. "Is there some reason I'm disallowed from coming into the store? You seem to be eager enough to recount the story of what happened to all of these people."
Markus raises an eyebrow. "I probably won't be quite as amazed as these folks, but I promise I'm a good listener."
Is he exaggerating or making things up?
Most obviously. He's tall-tale-tellin'
Orug frowns, but surrounded by other villagers - he feels cocky.
"Heh. 'Ol Mayor Luin might be payin' taxes to that Taldane b@!&$ queen - but I'm not. I ain't payin' taxes to live on my land. I heard that vampire's a crusader. That why you're tryin' to cover it up?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Markus cocks his head to the side, but keeps his face impassive. He's not going to let this man get to him at all.
"You don't pay taxes to the Mayor? And besides that, you don't reap the benefits of a Crusader fort being right next door to your town?" says Markus. "Truly, I'm curious how you owe nothing to Galfrey or her soldiers. Men and women in her service give their lives daily to keep the citizens of this country safe."
"Fealty aside, I'm not trying to cover anything up. I'm not asking any of these people to leave - I just want you to tell me what happened. And I don't want you to lie, because my friends here will be able to tell."
"And besides... don't you want to see real justice done? Don't you want to know who really killed your wife?" Ary asks only a moment later, annoyed by the man suggesting they would be trying to cover things up. "It's in everyone's best interests to tell the whole truth."
"Not surprising that he would exaggerate in front of a crowd, I suppose," she thinks as she watches Orug finish up when Markus addresses him. "I wonder how well that matches the statement he gave the inquisitor." She thinks on it for a few moments more before whispering to the others.
"At the very least Orug appears to be exaggerating his story at the moment. We might want to speak to him alone if we want any chance at getting the truth out of him. It might also not hurt to have Ehren do the questioning since his clan is known here," Isilme says to the others via the magic that links them.
"We want to find out the truth of what happened to Rhione and Helha as well. We were the ones who rescued them from Bedir, and we were devastated to learn they had been murdered. Please listen to Markus." she says, trying to help convince Orug to cooperate.
"Thanks Isilme. She looks better already." Val takes a seat at the door to Annabelle's cell again, getting comfortable for a long wait. "And I'll be right here to make sure that you've got some backup is someone tries to pull some kind of bullsh*t while you're here. We've got this." She chuckles. "I don't know exactly how I'll taste, but if you need a snack, I'm here."
Annabelle's fanged grin widens. "Don't offer something you don't mean. I might take you up on it when you least expect it."
She creeps up quietly behind her and sits on the other side of the cell door, cross-legged. The floor is clean now, thanks to Isilme.
"So are you like the daughter of a succubus or something?" she asks. She pauses. "I mean, if you don't wanna talk about it, it's okay. I'm just curious, I guess."