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[Plot] TEP - Under the Sea

Deni resisted the chuckle that rose up in him after Keydis' retort. It wasn't too difficult with the somber mood that followed the assassination attempt. As he observed the little ones being taken away and the traitors being tested against that mysterious stone statue, Deni was reminded of a truth he had come to know from experience: fighting was easy. When the adrenaline kicked in and the heat filled you until your blood felt like lava, you either succeeded or failed, succumbed to injury or fought on. It was what came after that was difficult, when the fever wore off and the reality of the situation began to sink in. The sensation of somebody else's blood drying on his skin used to make him vomit. It disgusted him no less than it ever had, but his stomach had grown used to it.

"I have a question," Deni said suddenly, locking eyes with the Prince. The rogue took a relaxed stance now that the fighting was done, but his hand rested at his belt and his blue eyes still held focus. “What do the ophidians have against the Emperor? This attack seems personal and the whole calamity seems to have been a retaliation, if the assassins can be believed.”

[2,387]

The italics are spoken in the Himai language, so are only discernible by the velen-blooded characters.
 
"Naga have always hated the Empire," Caput replied, as though it were obvious. "From their earliest days, history has shown that to be true. When you say it's personal, though, what do you mean?" The prince had been outside the throne room, still, when the assassins made their demands.

[50/8270]
 
"Pwuml wruwurthu pwuml, eua prote lo a've flwaea Neptuenem!" Aelflead interjected, parroting back the words Drars Ulupi shouted through Arcadia moments ago with unsettling accuracy to the voice. She stepped forward as she did so, her tail swishing behind her busily as she moved.

"Regardless of the Naga's normal beef with you lot, right now they're pissed about something specific. Something good ole Thaddio did, and something awfully recent." She continued, her tail flicking lazily towards where the Emperor had been shuffled away by the crown's medics as she stopped walking when her stride left her standing in line with the others around the prince.

"And considering that they're capable of reaching across continents of dry land to get assassins for you, I think it'd be wise to think real hard about any extra special expeditions he might have taken. Because I think having a muddy picture is gonna make it harder for any of us to act." Aelflead said flatly, and crossed her arms across her chest expectantly.

Himai

What (I'm just hoping that I guessed the right npc) Ulpi/Arcadia shouted in the midst of the fight earlier but in a rough translation to Himai because I'm enjoying the tool and dictionary far too much.
 
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Red stood stiffly at attention, head still pounding, one hand cradling her jaw. “And stop that,” she said, pulling her gaze from Aeflead’s extremely distinctive tail to glare irritably at Deni and Caput. She closed her eyes for a moment and steadied her breath. “I just killed someone for you,” she bit out. “The least you can do is stop speaking in a language I don’t understand when you’re explaining shit.”

To Ignis, she said, “Jaw might be fractured or something, ‘n I might have a concussion. Other than that and a bruised wrist, I’m fine. ...Uh. Thanks.”


[98 / 1267]
 
Aeria's eyes were narrowed as she tried to follow the exchange. She had very minimal Himal, but once Aelflead had switched back to the more common form of speech, she turned to glare intensely at Caput. "Yes I wonder what your father has been doing. I would agree with my angry friend here. No one pulls this kind of large scale coup attempt without a reason, even if it's an insane one."

Her face was set. "So who has the Emperor pissed off lately?"

[84/1654]
 
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A frown crossed Caput's face, but it quickly softened upon seeing the visible injuries on Red. "Of course," he said. "It's easy to slip into my native tongue. No offense was intended, but please accept my apologies." He reached up to rub his chin thoughtfully. "'Pwuml wruwurthu pwuml' translates roughly to 'pain for pain,' or 'blood for blood.' It's a common idiom, almost a mantra, among the naga. If you steal a fish, you must repay a fish of equal value. If you break a rib, yours will be broken in kind. Obviously, if you kill someone unjustly, your own life is forfeit.

"The problem is that the naga are unreasonable. Because the waters of the Copiae are prosperous, they believe we have 'stolen' it from them. That has historically been the reason behind their invasions. When naga fall on tough times, they blame the velen, and try to take what we have. They feel entitled to it."

Caput gestured toward Aelflead. "How fluent are you in Himai? Are you sure those were the exact words? I only ask because you're… because it makes no sense. Father hasn't been anywhere noteworthy in many years. He wouldn't even leave the capital to attend the Five Hundredth Nocte Nils. I was appointed Admiral on my sixteenth birthday, and oversee all military excursions. Grace, as the eldest feartu, has taken over any diplomatic travels in his stead. Venus is often left to handle local governmental affairs." His face twisted a bit as he divulged the details. Caput was only twenty, still far too young for the responsibility thrust upon him, and yet he'd been dealing with it for four years already.

Sighing, the prince looked toward the exit. "If she has not abandoned her conduit, I must speak with the shaman. I have encountered her before, never under pleasant terms. Ulupi is her name, and she is the strongest shaman in the Chlorae Ocean. I would rather have more leverage… but I must know. The cost is too great to bear."

[330/8600]
 
Ignis listened to the verbal dance between the prince and the remaining heroes with half an ear, but kept her eyes on Red. She nodded once after the spurii described her injuries.

Amicus' eyes stopped gleaming and he wriggled free of his contractor's grasp to circle Red and occasionally hop or twirl. One of his hands began to glow bright white and Red would be able to feel the cool tingle of the forest spirit channeling Ignis' magic to heal her. Slowly, but surely the worst of the bruising began to fade.

In the mean time, the enlil contemplated the questions about the naga's assault on the velen emperor. If not for the information revealed by Deni and Aelflead, she might not have guessed that this was related to a specific event. Even though she couldn't understand the words Aelflead echoed, they still sent a chill down Ignis' spine.

Frowning, she began to sort through the details in her mind.

"The naga and the traitors attacked everyone in the royal family, even the children," Ignis pointed out, feathered brows furrowing. "I don't know that this is a grudge against the emperor personally unless they seek to punish the whole family for one man's actions. This attack was more than an eye for an eye. This is more like retribution either for a serious crime or suffering that affected many of their number."

Magic
Cast mend at novice tier on Red (100 vigor)
 
Red squinted narrowly at Ignis. Even if the young enlil had literally just finished helping her out, she couldn't help herself. "I dunno," she said. "They had a chance to skewer a couple of royal princesses like they did the emperor -" she glanced at Caput, "er, sorry, I hope he's okay - but they didn't, did they? They just sorta...tried to hold 'em hostage."

Red shook her head - then immediately winced, regretting the action. Already her jaw felt better, but the headache wasn't so quick to clear out. Nevertheless, the redhead pushed on. "I mean, yeah, obviously these naga people are super-pissed out about something. If they're talkin' 'blood for blood' all of a sudden, though, it doesn't really seem like this is just your basic warmongering assassination attempt. And you've lived in these waters for forever, right?" She turned back to Caput, but didn't wait for confirmation before continuing, "And they're only just now deciding to push back into this 'stolen' territory? It definitely feels like we're missing some key information here. The sorta shit we're not gonna figure out from secondhand accounts and guesswork."

Still lightly massaging the underside of her jaw where the buckler had struck, Red sighed. "Hasn't anyone on either side even tried the damn diplomatic approach? Clearly naga can talk - they seem to be all about it while they're tryin' to get their murder on. Can't we just..." she flapped a frustrated hand, "ask them what they want? Or what you poor bastards apparently did wrong?"

[254 / 1521]
 
Both Ignis and Red made good points, and Keydis thought back to the moments before it all went down. "That first slick-skin, the one who went for the kids first -- Gedra, you called him? -- he looked like a patsy. Even when he was making his move, he looked desperate. The machina, or whatever had control of him, he was obviously out for blood. Seems like your enemies aren't all on the same page."

Keydis shrugged. "There's three of these snake tribes, right? If their alliance is shit, then tear it down. Fighting when you're outnumbered, you've got two choices. Wait them out, take your blows and outlast them… or wipe the floor with the strongest fucker while you're still fresh, make the others think twice."

[125/8725]

Note
Waiting for a little more player input before doing a prince turn.
 
I've been fluent in seven languages and dialects besides common since before I bled, Igźugar. But do tell, why wouldn't I know? Aelflead thought indignantly, her tail slapping against the floor as it began waving back and forth. She kept silent for a moment as the others spoke though, swallowing her ire for a moment to reach through her memory anything that might help besides the tongue the ophidians spoke folktales about them meant to scare children away from their waters.

~--~

Aelflead had been silently nodding in agreement with the group as they each spoke, her tail's tip stilling itself in the air. Then as Keydis finished speaking, it set to wagging again.

"They, we're not fresh though," the woman said and turned to eye the brunette warrior with her eyebrow cocked high on her forehead.

She raised her hands and began to count off points with her fingers as she continued. "They've just been attacked in their capital meaning our enemy has an stable way in here, shaken the empire's only available leaders at the moment," she gestured towards Caput and the direction Grace and the others had left in as she continued. "been attacked by not only trusted members of their own court but supposed heroes from abroad meaning so there are poten- there are definitely more traitors around, and unless they can get their whole court down here and slam 'em against that statue there's no way to know where or who they are; and no one but the most extravagant and pompous fool in pink I've ever seen, who's on a stretcher right now by the way with a hole in his gut, knows why on Araevis our enemies are suddenly putting so much effort into attacking the empire when they've been so comparatively tame up until now."

Once the spurii reached her seventh finger she clasped her hands together and spread them back out again as through she were dropping an emptied box. "We are far from, 'fresh' right now. Tactically we've just had our teeth kicked in, and we need information right now. Because I'm not rushing out to do anything so that they," she gestured towards the small Tiae, standing dutifully at attention with his hand on his dagger's pommel, "can turn into hostages or worse because some goon pops out of the woodworks while they've got nothing but these idiots," the woman's tail flicked towards the guards standing around and her eyes narrowed on them with venom for a moment before she turned back to Keydis, "here to look after them."

With that said, Aelflead turned towards Tiae Caput, slapping her tail against the stone ground so the resounding slap echoed through the room. "Drwsifut teuo hawr speak neibl a hwnaeh Dars Ulupi nhwaeiai gwra; what is a conduit and how long will that wrinkly sack of nuts, Gedra stay one? You didn't sever it by using that statue earlier did you?"

Translation

Meaning: You mentioned being able to speak to Dars Ulupi somehow a moment ago.
Direct Translation: To explain us speak somehow you with Dars Ulupi moments ago.
 
Aeria's brows drew together. She had been following all of these exchanges, not speaking and simply relaxing to let each point of view find expression. Now she took a step forward, her violet gaze moving to capture Caput in it. "Are you sure the naga are as unreasonable as you say they are? Like Aelflead here said, we're missing something and I wonder if it isn't what you people have really been up to."

Now she turned to Keydis. "You have a point in theory. I just wonder how shit their alliance actually is. Also like she-" Aeria jerked her thumb at Aelflead "said we aren't exactly the freshest right now."

Returning her gaze to Caput, she narrowed her eyes once more. "Are you sure that this shaman has any intention of talking to you at all? Once people start going on about 'blood for blood', it's usually a bad Vis-damned sign. She's a naga right? Does she also want revenge?"

[161/1815]
 
"Doubtless, she does. I'm not sure at all that she has any intentions of speaking, and even if she did, it would likely only be to make outrageous threats." Caput looked over to Keydis and sighed, addressing Aeria once more. "Militarily speaking, we are indeed 'fresh,' and the woman's advice has merit, whether you like it or not. It presents a diplomatic quandary, though.

"No matter how successful such a concerted effort is, the two fronts which we abandon will see damages in the mean time. As of right now, the surface has been spared any such losses thanks to the efforts of our people. The Basal Lake presents an easy target, with a much smaller naga presence, but that would create opportunities to attack in Occidens, damaging our relations with Terminus, or in Aquilonia, damaging relations with Excelsa. There's no noteworthy military presence among your people in those areas to contain damages.

"Rather than protecting the citizens at greatest risk, your magister sent all available forces to us, for honor and glory no doubt." The prince stood up taller and closed in on Aeria. "While you drink wine and lounge in luxury, it is the velen people who are fighting, bleeding, and dying to protect everyone. That is what my people have 'been up to.' Do remember that before slinging accusations regarding a matter you know very little about."

As if suddenly drained of energy, Caput turned away and snapped out orders in Himai, "Be courteous but get these people out of my sight. Return them to their rooms up top. All of the other guests shall be housed below until we can properly investigate them." In common, he said, "Thank you for your bravery this night. We'll let you know if you are needed again. Until then, rest. You've earned it." It was easy to imagine sarcasm in his words, but it was absent in his tone.

Caput turned to leave.

[325/9050]

Note
At this point, no one here (including the prince) is aware of the fact that Flumen Petram has already been overrun.

Most of Aelflead's questioning is being brushed off in-char, it's not that I've forgotten. Feel free to address that or stew on it. OOC tidbit, though, he's not looking down on her because she's spurii, but because she's A) not a velen and B) openly a vistra/demon. You've all earned his 'trust' but it's an iffy thing right now.
 
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Aeria's face had turned dark as Caput spoke to her and her violet eyes were cold. As he went to leave, she stepped up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait a minute, Prince. I am not about to let you leave here without apologizing for what you just said. I don't give a Vis-damn who you are. I've been in a fucking war that nearly killed me and most of my friends. I was repelling daemons while you sat there on your royal ass, ordering people around."

The spurii's temper had flared and she wasn't about to let up. "Don't you lecture me about sacrifice. I fucking know all about sacrifice. I've rarely had any time to drink wine and lounge in luxury, Caput. I have been wrongfully arrested, wrongfully accused of murder and grown up with half the world spitting on me for who I am! You have lived a privileged and pampered life, so don't you dare take that tone with me."

She took a deep breath. "You might have 'royal blood' but that earns you no respect from me. Show me what sort of a leader you are and I'll respect you. Until then, you're just an over-confident royal brat in my eyes. As such, I think you owe me and the others here, who have sacrificed a great deal over the years, an apology."

Stepping back, the contigeri waited to see what effect her possibly rash words would have on the prince.

[248/2063]
 
Cordatus bristled and started to shout something in defense of his elder brother. Whatever it was died on his lips as Caput dropped a hand on his shoulder. The elder prince didn't turn back to Aeria, and his words were tired. "For what would I apologize? I have not arrested you, accosted you, or accused you. Your words betray your true feelings, however. Your life has been harsh and you feel owed some recompense?" Caput turned around, eyes scanning over the assembled group. "For what you have all done tonight, you have my gratitude, and worry not, if my father doesn't, I will see that you are duly rewarded. Does that satisfy?"

The prince looked at them as if ashamed he should even make such an offer. "Your magister sent you here under the pretense that the lot of you all are some great heroes, but tonight's events show what a mockery that idea is. Even those of you here who are true of heart, though, I must impose a simple question.

"Why did you come here, to serve the emperor's pleasure, when you could have gone to help on the frontlines? Velen men and women are, as we speak, shedding and spilling blood. The weight of those sacrifices is on my shoulders, not yours.

"There are no wines and no luxuries. I don't have the option to be selfish. I don't have the option to seek glory.

"There is only my responsibility, to my father, to my people, and to everyone who relies upon the empire to guard their borders."

With that, Caput turned to leave again. "I have no need for respect. It won't protect the people I care about." He placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder, indicating that the boy should stay behind, and with nothing further to say, Caput left the room, heading in the same direction as the prisoners had been taken.

In the quiet that followed, Cordatus quietly grumbled, "You don't know anything about him."

[333/9383]
 
Aeria shot back, loud enough for Caput to hear even as he left. "I don't want payment. "

More quietly she continued, "I just wanted...never mind...."

She turned and sighed, slumping against the wall. "So now he thinks I'm some Vis-damned sellsword. Fucking great."

Turning to the others, she looked deflated and hurt. "Sorry everyone. I made a mistake. If any of you want me, I'll be in my room."

The spurii slowly turned from the others and wandered in the same direction as Caput, not particularly wanting to do anything else but melt into the ground and disappear.
 
Aelflead found herself at a loss.

The words that the lancer spoke felt much like some of the stream of thoughts rushing through her own mind seconds ago; that was likely why Aelflead had allowed herself to fall silent as the other spurii spoke, Aeria seemingly speaking something close enough to her mind for her. As the dust of the conversation settled though, she found herself both glad the other spurii had interjected and frustrated she hadn't cut her off.

Her tail curled around her in a small circle, the split fin tip waving back and forth against the stone floor with her thoughts.

As Aeria left the room, the redhead had a mind to reach out to her but did nothing, the fresh discomfort of the room stifling both the frustration she shared with Aeria and what little mental energy she had left overall. There was still to know however and Cordatus, who had yet to move, was easier to engage with at the moment so Aelflead turned to face him.

With a downward curve of her lips on her face, Aelflead's wore a confused and worried looking expression as she spoke. "I know he's pissed and doesn't think much of the lot of us-" she said, her tone turning softer as she crouched to meet Cordatus' eye as she spoke. "But you're trying to get at more than that, right? What do you mean, we don't know him, my Tiae?"
 
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Dante had calmly and quietly listened to everyone argue their point, but when the prince had dismissed Aeria’s outburst he felt bad for her. Silently the athlete left the room to chase after her, he was not interested in the political mumbo jumbo anyway.
 
"His life is not his own," Grace answered, returning from the room where the emperor had been rushed away. There were signs that tears had run down her cheeks, but she looked at them now with clear eyes. To the unasked questioned, she acknowledged, "Father will survive, though it is a grievous wound. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your swift action. Without it, we are unsure if… if…"

"My brother would much rather be out with the fighters," Cordatus said to Aelflead, "but Father won't allow him to leave the capital. He does everything he can, though! He feels responsible for everyone, he barely even sleeps!"

"Calm, Cordatus," Grace chided softly. She walked in and stood next to the throne, resting her hand on one of the arms, eyes cast downward. "It is so, however. Our elder brother was educated by generals and admirals of every nation, and though his first loyalty is to Pelagia, he stresses also over the well-being of other nations and kingdoms. Lest you think that our tiae was lax in response to the demonic portal, you should know that Caput dispersed ships to Aridus, to Paludis, to Secare, even to Terminus. He did this while also defending our own people against the daemons who surged underwater.

"Father decided his path for him at a very young age, and though he has lamented that he feels trapped, unable to be among the very men he now commands, never has he complained of the duty he bears."

Cordatus huffed and folded his arms. "He's the highest rank there is, so glory means nothing to him. We don't even know if he has a chance to be emperor, only dad knows. The only thing he thinks about is protecting people."

"He's just a kid," Keydis remarked, frowning. "You all are. What kind of idiot is your Thaddy to force that shit on you? Life's hard enough when you have choices."

Grace looked as if she wanted to speak out against the woman, but diplomatically, she offered only, "He is the emperor. We must trust that he has a greater vision for the future."

"I have to become a great warrior, someone brother can trust. I can fight where he can't!"

"Cute, kid," Keydis snarked. "Princess, I've gotta ask one thing. Caput made some remark about us coming here like we were hiding from the real battle. Is that how it is? I was given the impression that we were to be sent on a particularly dangerous mission, not sit around to get clapped on the back."

Surprised, Grace shook her head. "We… Is this so? No, that is mistaken. We were asked to bring all of you here, as honored guests. There was a notion that you might aid the throne in… events… such as tonight's, but never did we believe it would truly happen. We had no intention of tricking you all into a dangerous situation."

Keydis grit her teeth. "Great, just great. No wonder he thinks we're shit."

[507/9890]

Note
Start winding down for the end. Those of you interested in writing short plot chapters, hit me up. Outside of that, expect a plot chapter from me here before the next collab.
 
"Litin!" Aelflead hissed under her breath, and her fingers came up to rub circles into her temples as the bigger pieces of the picture came together in her head.

"Furthermore, all of us have been lied to by one of two..." Aelflead glanced at Cordatus. "Furimban." Staying crouched before Cordatus as she continued, her tail tip began irritably slapping against the floor. "And as much as I know Eximium is full of shit, the rest of the world relies on Pelagia for trade over the sea."

With that said, the cambion stood to her feet. Then, brushing a loose curl from her eyes, she turned to feartu Grace. "I think you and your siblings should have a talk with your father, Feartu. Because I don't know how much patience I have for the pride of a fool putting your siblings in danger."

Language & Context
Aelflead is doing her best to keep it clean in front of Cordatus, so these are in Ginan rather than Himai.
Litin! = Fuck!
Furimban = "Furiys imban" = Ass hole = Asshole.
 
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Deni remained standing in his apparently relaxed stance as the discussions continued. He kept his mouth shut and listened to what everyone else had to say.

He had reached out an arm as if to stop Aeria from shouting the Prince down, but he was just a step too far away to prevent her from airing her opinion. That had made the velen's stomach sink a little. There was a reason for his own silence. He wasn't about to confront the next in line to the Pelagian throne while the Emperor himself was critically injured. Although they were guests in the palace, gratitude could only take them so far.

Deni's blue eyes followed Aeria towards the exit, then skipped past the kinner that shadowed her. He locked glances with Ignis while she healed the injured, just for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders. There was nothing he could do for Aeria except let her cool off. Hopefully Dante would help her with that, rather than exacerbate the situation. As for the injured, Deni's skills with healing were abysmal, so he wouldn't have been much help to Ignis. Finally, with a weary sigh, he wandered over towards Keydis and Princess Grace.

Aelflead’s infernal form made it there first, though. The rogue hid his discontentment with the she-daemon’s attitude. Pelagian politics are unbearable enough without a daemonic Aelflead.

“Once you and your father are well, of course,” Deni added, passing the fiery redhead a sidelong glance. “Perhaps once everyone is well, you should speak with him. What’s done is done here and regardless of how your brother feels about our decision to be here, it’s a good thing we were.”

Deni paused for a moment to collect himself. He realised that he was tapping his fingers on his belt and forced himself to stop. The adrenaline still filled him even though the fighting was over. He didn’t want to think, he wanted to fight or… find some other way to exert his energy. But somebody needed to show courtesy. These royal children had just witnessed their father almost murdered and had almost been killed themselves. Someone needed to speak as if they weren’t an enemy.

“It would be appreciated, Princess,” Deni said as respectfully as he could manage, “if we’re kept up to date on the situation. If we’re getting deployed for a dangerous mission, I’d like to have a little preparation time.”

[2,789]
 
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