Summary: No one, least of all Rhea, was ready for the Royal Banquet but a united front needed to be shown of the Scions. Fatigued by recent events, she makes ready to head to Ul'dah but before she goes, Riol has a few words to share with her...and a warning.
No matter how much she rested, nor reassured herself that Wildred's death would be handled properly by Ilberd and the Braves, Rhea couldn't shake a deep unease in her chest. Her sleep had been beyond restless and by the time she woke, she felt as if she'd barely slept.
It was the early afternoon of the Royal Banquet hosted by the Ul'dahn Sultana, Nanamo Ul Namo, in celebration of Ishgard's victory over the horde's assault on the city. Token though the contributing Eorzean forces were, the Banquet was a symbol of the hope for a more unified realm. It was a time for celebration and turning eyes to the future. Rhea should have been eager to go.
She was far from it.
Too much weighed on her mind: Wilred's murder, Moenbryda's death, exhaustion from the battle that was to be celebrated. Not to mention her heart still ached from her goodbye with Haurchefant. Putting on fineries and rubbing elbows with dignitaries - friends though they were - was not what she wished to be spending her time doing.
A soft knock on her door informed her Minfilia wanted to speak with her before everyone departed for Ul'dah. Getting dressed in her freshly cleaned scion's attire she'd frequently wore of late, Rhea made herself ready for the banquet and headed to the Solar. She probably should have worn the traditional garb of Ishgard for the proper noblewoman she was but she'd left all that back home. Besides, she was arriving at the banquet as a Scion of the Seventh Dawn, not Lady Rhea Baphineaux of Ishgard.
It seemed, after seeing Minfilia, that Rhea was not the only one burdened by the events of late. A brief conversation with the Antecedent showed that, despite the momentous event that evening, too much weighed on their minds to be able to fully enjoy. As she reminded Rhea, the horizon seemed heavy and foreboding. The primals were still a problem, and ever would be unless a lasting solution was found. The Empire was on the cusp on renewing its campaign into Eorzea. And even all the triumphs they'd faced to date came at terrible prices - Louisoix, Moenbryda, the Scions of the Waking Sands, the countless dead on the Steps of Faith. To say they were both weary from the trials and journey thus far was an understatement.
Still, they were the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and all of their allies would be in attendance. They had to show a united front and serve, and be, as Minfilia put it, "a beacon of hope to all". With a deep breath, a soft smile, the two fortified themselves and made to depart. As Minfilia had admitted to Rhea that she was her rock, her driving force for continuing on - so too was Minfilia that for Rhea. It was not only their shared Echo which bonded them but the understand of being a leader and having all eyes on you. There was no question that Minfilia was one of Rhea's closest and dearest friends.
As Rhea came out of the Solar, and Minfilia went on ahead, Riol caught her attention, "Off to the big soiree, Rhea? Raise a glass for me, eh? ...Or not. You don't look best pleased, lass. Somethin' on yer mind?"
Stopping, Rhea looked at Riol. She explained to him how Wilred had been found murdered and after an outburst of frustration, Riol let her in on his investigation. Vast amounts of money, laundered through dummy businesses, had been funneled into the Crystal Braves' coffers, courtesy of Teledji Adeledji - and a gross violation of the Braves' rules about financial contributions.
Rhea agreed with Riol that it meant corruption ran deep within the Braves. She knew she could trust him, and she knew she could trust Ilberd and Alphinaud. Beyond that, however, she didn't know who she could trust within the ranks - especially those of the 1st and 3rd. With anger in his heart, Riol looked Rhea dead in the eyes, "We'll purge every one o' them traitorous bastards from our ranks! On that you have me word." Heading for the door, he paused and looked back to her, "An' Rhea - mind yerself when yer in Ul'dah, eh? We're headin' into a storm. I can smell it...the kind what'll sweep a man overboard an' drag him under 'fore he knows it." And with that, he was gone.
This was not what she'd needed right before going to the banquet but there was nothing to be done for it. Riol would continue his investigations and Rhea would begin her own in the morning. With a deep breath, she too headed for the door, though the whisperings of a migraine began to creep along the edges of her mind. As she reached the main door, she slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out a vial - her last one - and tossed the liquid back, hoping to head the migraine off before it made an already rough day worse. She made a mental note to stop by the alchemists guild before she left Ul'dah.
Departing the Rising Stones, she made for the aetheryte and the Royal Banquet.