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A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014
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<blockquote data-quote="Ilex" data-source="post: 5323147" data-attributes="member: 82687"><p><strong>15x01</strong></p><p></p><p>A warm, late-spring breeze danced around the carriage as it drew to a stop before the ironclad doors of Lord Nishi's keep. Mena ignored its playfulness. If the Twilight Goddess expected it to trick them, to put them at ease, Mena would have none of it. The stone walls rising before them concealed their quarry: Lord Nishi, heretic and rapist. Mena had already braced herself to encounter him. <em>An overbearing noble, blinded by his position to the cruelties he inflicts. In other words, one of Sedellus's favorite tools.</em></p><p></p><p>She stepped out of the carriage – Savina joined her – and stood by as Kormick pounded on the doors. Kormick, she noted without surprise, was skillful at pounding on doors. "Open for the Inquisition!" he hollered.</p><p></p><p>A moment passed. Kormick turned to Mena and Savina. "How long should we give them before we break in?" he asked.</p><p></p><p>Mena glanced wryly at the silent, faceless structure. "Breaking in might at least get their attention," she answered.</p><p></p><p>Then a little window slid open in the door and a man's stern face glared out. "The Inquisition has come and gone," he said.</p><p></p><p>Kormick opened his mouth to respond, but Savina beat him to it. "And has returned. We come as deputized Inquisitors from Lord Ono in Cauldron," she said. "As an Alirrian expert, I in particular will be reviewing the work of the earlier Inquisitors. Surely you have nothing to hide?" Her voice was sweetly diplomatic, but Mena heard the steel underneath it. Savina had learned so much in such a short time.</p><p></p><p>Nyoko had also left the carriage and now glided up beside them, her Adept robes and Sovereign features tearing the man's gaze away from Savina. "I am Nyoko of Cauldron," she announced. "I give you my formal word as an Adept that these esteemed heathens speak truth. They represent the Inquisition." The man studied the tattoos on her face for a moment, and then slammed the sliding window shut. A moment later, with a rumble, the great doors opened.</p><p></p><p>The man, who was wearing sturdy workclothes and several blades, bowed them into the inner courtyard. "I am Yutaka," he said. "Captain of Lord Nishi's guard. You will forgive my skepticism, of course. These are complicated times."</p><p></p><p>Yutaka glanced meaningfully around them: the inner courtyard, in contrast to the quiet exterior of the keep, was bustling. Castle guardsmen were oiling the mechanism that controlled a wicked-looking portcullis, rolling barrels of supplies into storage sheds, and making other siege preparations. Mena raised an eyebrow. “Precautionary measures," Yutaka answered her unspoken question. "The serfs grow restless. It is, of course, unthinkable that they would rise up against Lord Nishi, but…” he shrugged.</p><p></p><p>“And what of those men?” Mena asked, nodding towards a troop of soldiers who were mounting up. </p><p></p><p>"They are preparing to leave for High Pass, to fetch Lady Oroko here in accordance with my Lord's will and that of our Lady Alirria," Yutaka explained in neutral tones.</p><p></p><p>"Yes, wonderful," said Kormick. "How bold of them to show no fear about that mission, even though our presence here suggests that they may soon be convicted heretics dying very horrible deaths." He spoke loudly. Sure enough, the soldiers heard him, and Mena caught a few alarmed looks. </p><p></p><p>Yutaka looked faintly sickened, too, but all he said was, "If you will come this way, I will see that my Lord is informed of your arrival."</p><p></p><p>He showed them into the castle, where another man, this one dressed in simple but expensive robes and armed only with the ceremonial wakizashi, met them.</p><p></p><p>"I am Kawazu Kameyo, seneschal of this Estate," he said, bowing. "I will bring you before my Lord Nishi." </p><p></p><p>He said nothing more, and they followed him in silence as he stalked down a stone hallway and escorted them into an audience chamber. The two elevated chairs at the far end were unoccupied, and the sunlight didn't reach this room, causing the huge stained-glass holy symbol of Alirria set in one window to seem cold and drab. The lofty ceilings only made the shadowy room feel more like a high-walled trap. Kawazu left and the door thudded shut behind him.</p><p></p><p>"Be on your guard," Mena murmured to Tavi.</p><p></p><p>"Constantly," he said. Kormick's hand was resting on the haft of one of his warhammers. Arden lingered by the door where they'd entered, her wary eyes meeting Mena's briefly before scanning the room. Savina inspected the holy symbol. "It's accurate," she concluded.</p><p></p><p>Then they all heard a raised voice coming from behind a second door near the two thrones. The voice grew louder as its owner grew closer, and suddenly Mena could make out words: "—could not have waited until tomorrow?! In our Lady's Name, we were just about to—" The door crashed open and in swept a young man in ostentatious robes, adjusting a heavy medallion of office around his neck. He was followed by a finely dressed woman and Kawazu, who looked cowed but called out, "Inquisitors, my Lord and Lady Nishi will hear you now."</p><p></p><p>Lord Nishi flopped into his throne. His wife seated herself primly beside him. "Cocky looking bunch, aren't they?" Lord Nishi asked no one in particular as Mena and the others walked forward. "Not bowing, even in the presence of a Governor?" </p><p></p><p>Lady Nishi said nothing. She merely looked down at the floor before her. "They <em>are</em> heathens, Nishi-san," murmured Kawazu apologetically. </p><p></p><p>Kormick didn't bow. "We are here on the authority of Lord Ono," he said. "I assume you know why."</p><p></p><p>"I must say, I don’t know why,” complained Lord Nishi. "I’ve been through this once, and I can't believe I have to go through it a second time." He pushed himself to the edge of his chair. "Persecution, that’s what it is. Persecution plain and simple. As I have repeatedly told my household, my vassals, and the first batch of Inquisitors, I'm practicing the rite just like it says to in <em>The Lady's Ways</em>. We're converting the district to public Alirrian worship the right way, everything above-board, and this rite in particular, tiresome though it might be, does provide a way for me to get to know my people better, that's all you need to know, are we done now?" </p><p></p><p>"Lord Nishi," said Kormick, "That is <em>not even close</em> to all that we need to know. Where did you say you first learned about this rite?" </p><p></p><p>Nishi rolled his eyes and flapped a hand at Kawazu. "A glass of something, Kawazu, instantly." Kawazu stepped to a sideboard, poured a single glass, and presented it to his lord as Nishi continued. "I'll trust you've studied up on the situation – you know that my wife comes from a long line of Alirrians, yes? That they lived in secret during the years of persecution prior to the Affirmation? And that I converted to her religion when we married? Well, then, we inherited her father's library when he died, vast dusty piles of books, ghastly, so much reading, and among them was <em>The Lady's Ways</em>, very important, very <em>thick</em>, and it spells out exactly what my duties are. I love my wife –" he paused to lift his glass to the lady beside him, who smiled back, tightly – "and I wish to honor the religion that she has brought to my house. So … I'll do what I must."</p><p></p><p>"How can you imagine that you <em>must</em> commit rape?" Savina burst out. "Alirria would never condone your committing such cruelty against your people."</p><p></p><p>"Cruelty to them, is it? Have you considered that this isn't easy on me, either? There were three weddings in one day last month! I was exhausted! It never stops! I barely have any energy left for my wife! But this is what worship of the Lady demands, and so it shall be done. And don’t think you can intimidate us into doing otherwise." </p><p></p><p>Mena was speechless. The others were speechless, too. This was not exactly the calculating villain they had expected. </p><p></p><p>Mena still didn’t like him.</p><p></p><p>Foolishly taking their silence for satisfaction with his answer, Nishi leaned back in his chair. "I imagine you'll insist upon staying for a few days, anyway, and asking everyone questions, making your report look good," he said airily. "Do as you must, et cetera, et cetera. Kawazu will show you around the place. Kindly don't trouble me and my wife if you can help it, though?"</p><p></p><p>The party continued to be speechless until Kawazu had shown them to a suite of rooms for their use. Only after the door closed upon the seneschal did Tavi say, slowly, "I guess … Lord Nishi was … misled?"</p><p></p><p>"How could someone be <em>that</em> misled?" asked Savina.</p><p></p><p>"He's like Nyoko here," said Kormick. "He was raised a certain way, can't see beyond it."</p><p></p><p>"He is not at all like Nyoko," said Mena. "Nyoko has brains."</p><p></p><p>"Excellent point, Dame Mena," Kormick conceded. "So we're all basically agreed, then, that Lord Nishi is an idiot and therefore entirely unlike Nyoko."</p><p></p><p>"So Witnessed," declared Nyoko heartily. Twiggy suppressed a giggle, Rose chuckled, and Tavi grinned, announcing: "Hey, Nyoko just made a joke!" Nyoko didn't smile, but she had a twinkle in her eye, and Mena liked her more for it.</p><p></p><p>Savina brought them back to seriousness. "If Lord Nishi was truly tricked into committing these crimes," she said, "then he is a fool, but he isn't the heretic we're looking for. We're looking for the person who tricked him."</p><p></p><p>"Who would do such a thing?" wondered Twiggy. "And why?"</p><p></p><p>Mena thought back over the many ways that Sedellus sowed dissent and discord. Sometimes, troublemakers were more effective when they undermined and discredited their opponents instead of attacking them outright. "We may be dealing with an undercover agent of the Tide," she said out loud. "Someone who wants to make Alirrian worship seem evil so that people will turn against it."</p><p></p><p>"That could be anyone here," said Tavi. </p><p></p><p>"Well," said Kormick. "Let's start asking questions."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ilex, post: 5323147, member: 82687"] [b]15x01[/b] A warm, late-spring breeze danced around the carriage as it drew to a stop before the ironclad doors of Lord Nishi's keep. Mena ignored its playfulness. If the Twilight Goddess expected it to trick them, to put them at ease, Mena would have none of it. The stone walls rising before them concealed their quarry: Lord Nishi, heretic and rapist. Mena had already braced herself to encounter him. [i]An overbearing noble, blinded by his position to the cruelties he inflicts. In other words, one of Sedellus's favorite tools.[/i] She stepped out of the carriage – Savina joined her – and stood by as Kormick pounded on the doors. Kormick, she noted without surprise, was skillful at pounding on doors. "Open for the Inquisition!" he hollered. A moment passed. Kormick turned to Mena and Savina. "How long should we give them before we break in?" he asked. Mena glanced wryly at the silent, faceless structure. "Breaking in might at least get their attention," she answered. Then a little window slid open in the door and a man's stern face glared out. "The Inquisition has come and gone," he said. Kormick opened his mouth to respond, but Savina beat him to it. "And has returned. We come as deputized Inquisitors from Lord Ono in Cauldron," she said. "As an Alirrian expert, I in particular will be reviewing the work of the earlier Inquisitors. Surely you have nothing to hide?" Her voice was sweetly diplomatic, but Mena heard the steel underneath it. Savina had learned so much in such a short time. Nyoko had also left the carriage and now glided up beside them, her Adept robes and Sovereign features tearing the man's gaze away from Savina. "I am Nyoko of Cauldron," she announced. "I give you my formal word as an Adept that these esteemed heathens speak truth. They represent the Inquisition." The man studied the tattoos on her face for a moment, and then slammed the sliding window shut. A moment later, with a rumble, the great doors opened. The man, who was wearing sturdy workclothes and several blades, bowed them into the inner courtyard. "I am Yutaka," he said. "Captain of Lord Nishi's guard. You will forgive my skepticism, of course. These are complicated times." Yutaka glanced meaningfully around them: the inner courtyard, in contrast to the quiet exterior of the keep, was bustling. Castle guardsmen were oiling the mechanism that controlled a wicked-looking portcullis, rolling barrels of supplies into storage sheds, and making other siege preparations. Mena raised an eyebrow. “Precautionary measures," Yutaka answered her unspoken question. "The serfs grow restless. It is, of course, unthinkable that they would rise up against Lord Nishi, but…” he shrugged. “And what of those men?” Mena asked, nodding towards a troop of soldiers who were mounting up. "They are preparing to leave for High Pass, to fetch Lady Oroko here in accordance with my Lord's will and that of our Lady Alirria," Yutaka explained in neutral tones. "Yes, wonderful," said Kormick. "How bold of them to show no fear about that mission, even though our presence here suggests that they may soon be convicted heretics dying very horrible deaths." He spoke loudly. Sure enough, the soldiers heard him, and Mena caught a few alarmed looks. Yutaka looked faintly sickened, too, but all he said was, "If you will come this way, I will see that my Lord is informed of your arrival." He showed them into the castle, where another man, this one dressed in simple but expensive robes and armed only with the ceremonial wakizashi, met them. "I am Kawazu Kameyo, seneschal of this Estate," he said, bowing. "I will bring you before my Lord Nishi." He said nothing more, and they followed him in silence as he stalked down a stone hallway and escorted them into an audience chamber. The two elevated chairs at the far end were unoccupied, and the sunlight didn't reach this room, causing the huge stained-glass holy symbol of Alirria set in one window to seem cold and drab. The lofty ceilings only made the shadowy room feel more like a high-walled trap. Kawazu left and the door thudded shut behind him. "Be on your guard," Mena murmured to Tavi. "Constantly," he said. Kormick's hand was resting on the haft of one of his warhammers. Arden lingered by the door where they'd entered, her wary eyes meeting Mena's briefly before scanning the room. Savina inspected the holy symbol. "It's accurate," she concluded. Then they all heard a raised voice coming from behind a second door near the two thrones. The voice grew louder as its owner grew closer, and suddenly Mena could make out words: "—could not have waited until tomorrow?! In our Lady's Name, we were just about to—" The door crashed open and in swept a young man in ostentatious robes, adjusting a heavy medallion of office around his neck. He was followed by a finely dressed woman and Kawazu, who looked cowed but called out, "Inquisitors, my Lord and Lady Nishi will hear you now." Lord Nishi flopped into his throne. His wife seated herself primly beside him. "Cocky looking bunch, aren't they?" Lord Nishi asked no one in particular as Mena and the others walked forward. "Not bowing, even in the presence of a Governor?" Lady Nishi said nothing. She merely looked down at the floor before her. "They [i]are[/i] heathens, Nishi-san," murmured Kawazu apologetically. Kormick didn't bow. "We are here on the authority of Lord Ono," he said. "I assume you know why." "I must say, I don’t know why,” complained Lord Nishi. "I’ve been through this once, and I can't believe I have to go through it a second time." He pushed himself to the edge of his chair. "Persecution, that’s what it is. Persecution plain and simple. As I have repeatedly told my household, my vassals, and the first batch of Inquisitors, I'm practicing the rite just like it says to in [i]The Lady's Ways[/i]. We're converting the district to public Alirrian worship the right way, everything above-board, and this rite in particular, tiresome though it might be, does provide a way for me to get to know my people better, that's all you need to know, are we done now?" "Lord Nishi," said Kormick, "That is [i]not even close[/i] to all that we need to know. Where did you say you first learned about this rite?" Nishi rolled his eyes and flapped a hand at Kawazu. "A glass of something, Kawazu, instantly." Kawazu stepped to a sideboard, poured a single glass, and presented it to his lord as Nishi continued. "I'll trust you've studied up on the situation – you know that my wife comes from a long line of Alirrians, yes? That they lived in secret during the years of persecution prior to the Affirmation? And that I converted to her religion when we married? Well, then, we inherited her father's library when he died, vast dusty piles of books, ghastly, so much reading, and among them was [i]The Lady's Ways[/i], very important, very [i]thick[/i], and it spells out exactly what my duties are. I love my wife –" he paused to lift his glass to the lady beside him, who smiled back, tightly – "and I wish to honor the religion that she has brought to my house. So … I'll do what I must." "How can you imagine that you [i]must[/i] commit rape?" Savina burst out. "Alirria would never condone your committing such cruelty against your people." "Cruelty to them, is it? Have you considered that this isn't easy on me, either? There were three weddings in one day last month! I was exhausted! It never stops! I barely have any energy left for my wife! But this is what worship of the Lady demands, and so it shall be done. And don’t think you can intimidate us into doing otherwise." Mena was speechless. The others were speechless, too. This was not exactly the calculating villain they had expected. Mena still didn’t like him. Foolishly taking their silence for satisfaction with his answer, Nishi leaned back in his chair. "I imagine you'll insist upon staying for a few days, anyway, and asking everyone questions, making your report look good," he said airily. "Do as you must, et cetera, et cetera. Kawazu will show you around the place. Kindly don't trouble me and my wife if you can help it, though?" The party continued to be speechless until Kawazu had shown them to a suite of rooms for their use. Only after the door closed upon the seneschal did Tavi say, slowly, "I guess … Lord Nishi was … misled?" "How could someone be [i]that[/i] misled?" asked Savina. "He's like Nyoko here," said Kormick. "He was raised a certain way, can't see beyond it." "He is not at all like Nyoko," said Mena. "Nyoko has brains." "Excellent point, Dame Mena," Kormick conceded. "So we're all basically agreed, then, that Lord Nishi is an idiot and therefore entirely unlike Nyoko." "So Witnessed," declared Nyoko heartily. Twiggy suppressed a giggle, Rose chuckled, and Tavi grinned, announcing: "Hey, Nyoko just made a joke!" Nyoko didn't smile, but she had a twinkle in her eye, and Mena liked her more for it. Savina brought them back to seriousness. "If Lord Nishi was truly tricked into committing these crimes," she said, "then he is a fool, but he isn't the heretic we're looking for. We're looking for the person who tricked him." "Who would do such a thing?" wondered Twiggy. "And why?" Mena thought back over the many ways that Sedellus sowed dissent and discord. Sometimes, troublemakers were more effective when they undermined and discredited their opponents instead of attacking them outright. "We may be dealing with an undercover agent of the Tide," she said out loud. "Someone who wants to make Alirrian worship seem evil so that people will turn against it." "That could be anyone here," said Tavi. "Well," said Kormick. "Let's start asking questions." [/QUOTE]
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