Diplomatic Immunity--Preface: Vasha's Discovery

[Bront]

"Why would I act superior to you? Are you not a child of Arris? I hold no contempt for you, I only wish to understand. The idea of slavery is foreign to me, for it would not be considered on Amaranthia, nor would my father use it while he was here. I only wish to understand the hurt that was caused to him, and to you."

Vasha kneels down on the ground to look her square in the eye, not from above her.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*She recoils like an angry but wary serpent.*

"Keep away from me. I know your kind...I've been like that before myself! I'm not going to fall for your sweet-talk. Just keep away from me, you worthless bimbo!"

 

[Bront]

"But I am of your kind as well. I was born of Arris."

Vasha ponders for a moment. "Have you suffered so much that you are afraid to believe in the good intentions of another? I simply wish to talk, and perhaps help, but if you are content with your lot in life, then perhaps I was mistaken to offer my compassion so openly."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Content? Of course I'm not content! I hate this more tha anything! But I would be a fool to believe in the compassion of others, pretty little strumpet! You don't really want to help me. You just want to feel better than me, to compare your lot in life so that you can feel that you are better, that you are prettier than this slave. Well I'm a person too! Not an animal that you just pet and talk to it nicely and it'll live like a slave and be happy for it! So you can take your false compassion and stuff it down your !"

 

[Bront]

A tear finds it's way out of her eye and down her cheak "What could for you to prove my genuine compassion? Is there some way I can help you? Or make your job easier?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"What could you do? What could you do? How about you break me out of here? I'd believe you then. But of course you're not going to do that because you don't really care, you just want to think of yourself as being nice to everyone, when really you're just a conceited little brat who just wants to feel better about herself and rationalise her dirty little profession to herself by telling herself she's being kind."

 

[Bront]

"I steped into that job not knowing such a thing existed, and had no way to get out. I will be done with it within days, and shall partake of it no more other than to perhaps help Alyz free those she can from within the system."

"You were free once, yet you became a slave again. What happened?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Bah, you just lie to yourself to make yourself feel better over it, but you have helped condemn little girls and little boys without any mommies or daddies to a life of bondage and servitude. You are a terrible selfish person who only wants to pretend as best she can that she is good. As for me..."

"Oh dear, I thought I heard shouting...Vasha, don't talk to her, she'll just try to make you feel bad with her poisoned words," Zythryd comes down the stairs, looking towards Vasha with concern and affection.

 

[Bront]

"She has suffered greatly Zythryd. And no person should do so. We spoke of you healing last night. Inflicting punishment on her like this will not heal either of you." She stands up and looks Zythryd in the eyes "Compassion breads compassion, much as love breads love. I believe you understand the second part, but your pain makes the first part hard."

She walks over and wraps her arms around him. "Isn't there anything you can do, for her sake and for yours?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Compassion does not breed compassion with her, Vasha. She is an evil person, and she feeds on manipulating others' emotions to get what she wants. She put you up to this, didn't she?"