AN: Just realized I didn't actually mention how I think elves age compared to humans, oops. I figure one human year is equal to around three elf years - making Aloth about twenty if he were a human. Given how he's looking for guidance throughout most of the game, it doesn't seem too farfetched. Oh, and Aloth and Cera are around the same age, at least in my mind.
As everyone's preparing to leave for the White March, a messenger from the Ducal Palace arrives - Cera's claim is being called into question, by a member of the Gathbin family apparently. Cera's look, of course, is absolutely dumbfounded - the place was abandoned for centuries until Maerwald claimed it, then may as well have been abandoned for some of the time he was master of the place! Who, for the gods' sake, would have a claim to it?!
Cera says "I guess a quick stop in the Ducal Palace couldn't hurt, right? Besides, then we can get a look at those records as well for Eder."
Eder says "Much appreciated. Stalwart can wait for one more day, right?"
"Well, Durgan's Battery likely doesn't have some magical day where it'll open for psychic Watchers, so I don't see why not."
They can't really argue with that kind of logic, so they set off for Defiance Bay.
When they get to the Ducal Palace, they're directed to the Records room at once - and Chancillor Warrin and Marshall Forywn are already there.
Cera has a quick word with the records keeper, and soon Eder's looking through the back pages of one incredibly thick book filled with rosters of the Saint's War. Cera, meanwhile, talks with Marshall Forywn and Chancillor Warrin.
They quickly learn that the person contesting her claim is known as Arledr Gathbin, descended from an old Aedyran line and a distant relative of a former master of Caed Nua - and as terrible a person as the come, no character to him whatsoever. He's not well liked among even his own family, for reasons that'll apparently become crystal clear soon enough, and part of a fallen house that made the mistake of siding with the Aedyr Empire rather than with the Dyrwood in the war for the Dyrwood's independence.
That's all there's time for when a man wearing green clothing and with sand-colored hair strides in arrogantly. It's practically pouring off him, Cera can sense it from here - Arledr Gathbin then, followed by an elven woman in a green hood. "Where is this low-born wretch who dares to try and steal MY ancestral land?"
Oh, not another one.
Aloth can hear her mental groan even from here, and gets a ghost-feeling of what she's sensing - she said she gets impressions of people just by focusing on them even a little, and what she's getting from him is arrogance and a cruel spiteful streak a mile wide.
Cera lifts her chin and looks Gathbin straight in the eye, saying "I'm the one that cleared out the spirits, Will O' Wisps, and massive spiders from the ground floor alone, along with repaired the Main Keep, Brighthollow, and have the Barracks under construction."
He eyes her with nothing but contempt, asking "You? I thought you nothing more than a servant. A maid, perhaps."
Cera's lips twitch into a thin, flat smile, but she doesn't say a word as Chancellor Warrin clears his throat and asks "My Lord, my Lady, may we please read the Erl's decree?"
"Yes, let's get on with it. It's well known that Caed Nua belongs to me by right."
Oh, just keep talking. Just like my parents, and suitor number five. Bets are a few bulls-eyes with my crossbow and a small demonstration of my Cipher powers would send you running as well.
Aloth gets a sudden flash of a memory of hers, she's shooting her crossbow in an immaculately maintained garden - she's supposed to be presenting herself and entertaining her latest suitor, but she'd rather take out her absolute frustration on a few targets instead of running the risk of projecting her feelings onto someone and causing another…incident.
A man dressed in finery as fancy and garish as her father makes her wear on the special occasions when she gets to go out into public comes around one of the hedges, preceded by an aura of arrogance and pride that she couldn't block out if she sandwiched her head between two pillows, and asks "Have you seen the Lady Cera, guardswoman? I'm looking for her - her father says she has a habit of wandering off at times, but that she's a rather charming girl nonetheless."
"You're looking at her."
Twang! Thock!
Another bulls-eye, another crossbow bolt to reload.
He incredulously asks "You? You are the Lady Cera?"
"Yes, why?" She glances at him out of the corner of her eye for a moment, then aims the crossbow and shoots - another perfect hit.
The man is taking her in, her distinct lack of any kind of formalwear for one and the way she's methodically landing bulls-eyes every time she fires her crossbow. Her hair is down for a change and running down her back in long curls, and she's wearing a tunic and boots instead of the dress and slippers her mother ordered her to change into - she'd rather burn the dress and feed the slippers to the dogs.
He clears his throat after a minute, and says "Well, my lady, it seems we have gotten off to a rather bad start. My name is-"
"Lord Galre Keymr, only child and heir to the house of Keymr."
"Y-yes. Lady Cera Iden, I've been promised your hand in…how did you know that? Did your father tell you?" A bead of sweat rolls down his neck, as another 'Twang! Thock!' is heard from her crossbow.
"No, I'm never privy to who my next suitor will be until they arrive. Father has been looking for a way to cement the partnership between our houses, however. And what better way to do that then to marry them together, form one house?" Her crossbow bolt ignites with purple fire, summoned by her sudden anger at the idea that she's nothing more than her father's political pawn.
The arrow hits the target dead center and ignites it in the same purple fires, and then the man says "You…you're a…"
"Cipher, yes. That would be how I knew who would be my latest suitor."
"You're a freak! A mind-reading freak!" There's the sound of rapid, rather undignified sprinting, and then the memory ends as abruptly as it began.
Aloth shakes himself out of the memory, and then turns his focus onto Cera - still got the same smile he remembers having in the memory, thin, strained, and waiting for this to be over already - as the Erl's decree is unraveled. "The Erl has found that the Gathbin family's title was never relinquished, and as such Caed Nua rightfully belongs to Arledr Gathbin."
The human lord smirks triumphantly, and says "As is plainly obvious."
Chancellor Warrin says "I'm not finished, my Lord." He rolls his eyes and rolls his hand in a 'get on with it' motion. "However, the Erl fully recognizes Lady Cera's part in reclaiming Caed Nua, a site that has stood abandoned and some would say cursed for over two centuries. Lord Gathbin will provide compensation in the form of-"
"Absolutely not." Gathbin's face is a mask of fury, and he continues "I will not give this thief a single copper! Does the Erl think I am blind? That he can send a political statement like this?"
Chancellor Warrin raises an eyebrow, and says "My Lord, the amount is quite reasonable, and a requirement for the Keep to be returned to you."
Gathbin loses his cool at that, and balls his hand into a fist to strike the Chancellor - until he freezes, Cera's glare fully on him. He then collapses after a moment, his legs seemingly no longer working - and Cera's got a ball of purple fire in her hand, she must be using it on him to prevent any violence. "You dare…threaten me…with a…ball of fire? Release me at once!"
The elven woman eyes Cera carefully, taking her measure openly and unabashedly. Cera does the same, but extinguishes the purple flames incapacitating Gathbin at the Marshall's signal - a grateful signal, at that.
When the fires are out, Gathbin unsteadily rises to his feet and glares hatefully at Cera. "You shall pay for that, you wretch. Caed Nua will be mine! Captain Emery, come!" He marches out the door, the elven woman shrugging and following him after a moment.
Chancellor Warrin says "Thank you, Lady Cera, for your timely intervention. As Lord Gathbin rejected the Erl's decree, Caed Nua now officially belongs to you. Also, here. I believe this will be of use to you. Through no fault of your own, you've made a powerful enemy, I'm afraid. May this scepter serve you well."
It's a scepter made of pure sapphire, the only other decoration being a silver band in the middle where one would hold it. Cera looks at the scepter for a moment, then at Chancellor Warrin, then says "Thank you, Chancellor. This is much appreciated."
He nods, and then they head out of the room - after Eder puts the book back and tells them his brother really did fight for Readceras during the Saint's War for some reason, despite enlisting on the other side, and died at a place known as Cliaban Rilag. Cera promises they'll find the place and see if his soul is there - and then she gets an idea and runs back inside to ask Warrin something.
When she heads back out, she says "We're making a quick stop to Brackenbury first. Something I promised Aloth we'd do."
Eder asks "This about Iselmyr? Because I kinda like that woman - she makes good jokes, anyway."
Aloth's expression twitches in annoyance, and he says "They're a lot less funny when they nearly get you in trouble. Besides, there's no immediate need to-"
"Its right near here, and I said we'd go there! How about this, you and I go alone. Everyone else…"
She looks at them questioningly, and Sagani says "We'll be in Copperlane. The market, I'm thinking."
Pallegina says "Ac, that sounds agreeable to me."
Eder looks like he wants to complain, but then Itumaak sniffs at Sagani's hand and his attention turns to the white fox. "Sagani, does your fox bite?"
"Yes."
"Can I pet him anyway?"
"It's your hand."
"I'm gonna pet him!"
Aloth and Cera share a look, and Cera's voice sounds in his head How hasn't he lost all his fingers yet? Itumaak is a fox and Sagani just said he'd bite!
They hear a sudden yelp of pain in Eder's voice - sounds like Itumaak bit him.
Aloth quietly says "Thank you, Cera. You didn't have to-"
"I promised! And I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't try to help - and seeing as I don't want to accidentally make a manageable thing…unmanageable, this is the next best option." She pulls at his arm in Brackenbury's direction, and they head off.
Aloth notices the head of the scepter Chancellor Warrin gave her poking out of her bag, but doesn't comment - despite the fact that he's fairly certain she has no idea how to use a scepter other than to beat someone unconscious with.
AN: Alright, we've got that scepter - and one more arrogant lord to deal with. Anybody thinking Arledr won't make much headway in taking Caed Nua from Cera? Or living in it? A: the place recognizes Cera as its new master and not him. B: the Master Below. C: everything said Master Below sends up to kill the new master of Caed Nua. At any rate, hope you all like the story so far! PS. my new puppy is a male Mini Australian Shepherd. We named him Bandit. And he's ADORABLE!