DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Dawn of Revolution
The Searchers, part 2
"I believe that concludes our business today, ambassadors. On behalf of Queen Lorelai, I sincerely thank you all for visiting us," Maggie said warmly as she gathered up her parchment documents in the spacious meeting room. Sunlight glowed in the stained-glass windows as candles burned on the overhead chandelier. "I look forward to our next meeting."
"Of course, young madam," one of the four ambassadors, a fire genasi man with eyes like smoldering embers, said with a polite bow. His yellow and red silk robes rustled with the movement. "We must also thank you for your remarkable hospitality. It is like an oasis in these uncertain days."
Maggie beamed. She had studied ahead of time on the ways of Mehir Balad's people, and she knew that being compared to an oasis was no casual compliment. She also knew that the caliph's people were desperate to keep Mehir Balad together after that demon lord's assault on Zaddir City. Best to work with that fact, not throw it in the ambassadors' faces.
"I, personally, would favor a light meal before we depart," another ambassador mentioned, an older human lady with her graying hair in a thick braid with rubies and gold filigree woven into it. "Dearest Maggie, would Castle Rhoda's staff indulge us?"
Maggie's smile widened. "Of course! In fact, allow me to escort you to the nearest dining hall. My sister Murbella can arrange to have a meal served. The main question is: would you prefer wine or spiced fruit juice?"
The four ambassadors laughed lightly as Maggie swung open the heavy wooden door, allowing her four guests to exit first. It had been another fine day of negotiations, and already, Maggie's head was buzzing with fresh ideas on how to strengthen international relations with Lorelai's southern neighbors.
How much Mehir Balad and its people had suffered! It even lost territory to the opportunistic Illaran Republic and Trassus Kingdom. That, too, had factored into the negotiations, but Maggie wasn't yet sure where that puzzle piece fit into the overall picture. Hmmmm...
"Oh yes, I shall speak with the kitchen staff to arrange a semi-authentic meal to remind our guests of home," Murbella said a little stiffly when Maggie offered the idea to her elsewhere in Castle Rhoda's halls.
Maggie snorted with amusement. "Murbella, it's all right. It's just me. Don't be so upright!"
Murbella sighed and picked at a sleeve of her bright red gown. "Yes, that's true. Sorry, Maggie."
Maggie made a sympathetic noise. "I'm sure the pressure of helping run this kingdom under the queen is getting to you."
"It is." Murbella ran her hands over her face. "And... oh, it's nothing."
"Murbella, I'm a trained negotiator and diplomat. I know when someone's got something on the brain."
"Well..." Murbella looked this way and that to confirm that the sisters were alone, though she still raised her voice when she admitted, "Part of me is afraid of what comes next. For all of us."
"The people of Verhamaine?"
"Sort of. But I meant us." Murbella gestured, and Maggie took her meaning at once. She reached out and held both of Murbella's hands to comfort her. "We got what we craved for years, Maggie: freedom. We can be anyone, go anywhere, do anything. But..." She swallowed. "What if it tears us apart? Father seems so reluctant to let us find our own way in the world, even when he gave us his word. What if he changes his mind? What if our family turns on itself again?"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, okay? We'll work this out. Together." Maggie squeezed her sister's hands. "When we all have time, we should sit down with Father at home and find a solution, perhaps over dinner. There is always a way! You just have to find the right angle and understand how everyone's feeling."
Murbella cracked a watery smile. "My sister the diplomat."
"By profession, mind you." Maggie let go of Murbella's hands and ran a hand down her violet gown. "I'm building bridges between nations. Fixing our family woes is nothing compared to that."
"Have you seen our family?" Murbella said, probably half-joking.
"Let's just hear what Father and Minerva have to say about this," Maggie told her. "I trust their leadership. For a time there, Minerva was practically Lorelai's second-in-command before the Battle of Sassanoit."
Murbella nodded. "Mmmmm. I trust her, too."
*o*o*o*o*
Two days later...
Farraday and his five daughters always dined together in the family mansion's ground-floor dining room, a cozy room with wood-paneled walls, paintings, a candle-filled brass chandelier, a lit fireplace, and more. It was the image of upper-class luxury in Verhamaine's capital. But dinners in this room were often tense in the past. As was tonight's.
"Mmmmmm. Some of the finest roast duck I've had in years," Farraday said lightly as he set down his fork with a clink, dabbing his mouth with a white napkin. "And the plums are so ripe, too."
Murbella merely nodded, aware that her father was merely psyching himself to broach a difficult subject. He tended to do that. "It's all wonderful, Father," Murbella said carefully. She looked around at her four sisters, from Minerva and her distant expression to a visibly sweating Mozzie and an alert Maggie. Miranda, meanwhile, looked excited but nervous, a common combination for her. Who would speak up first...?
"I didn't find a job today," Mozzie blurted out. She made a small gasp, then blushed and held her face in her hands.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mozzie," Farraday said after taking a sip of white wine. "If you wish, I may help train you to conduct job interviews. It's not a skill I expected you to have. But the option is open to you."
"Th... thank you, Father," Mozzie said timidly, looking down at her half-finished dinner. It looked like she regretted bringing it up, and Murbella knew why. Farraday had raised his daughters to take over the family business, no job interviews required. It was generous for Farraday to offer job interview training - was he serious, or just humoring his daughter?
"Do you intend to find employment in Father's line of work, Mozzie?" Minerva asked.
"No, I hope to find work in a new field," Mozzie explained meekly. "I'm quite aware I have little experience to support that endeavor. But I wish to push myself and explore my options. It's an opportunity for personal growth."
Minerva blinked. "Oh. Is that so? Intriguing."
"I hope to support myself soon. I want to embrace a life of independence," Mozzie added. "I could live in my own, and build a new life." She added a bashful smile. "I could even find a husband and consider starting my own family soon. It's exciting to think about!"
Murbella glanced at Maggie, who gave her a look to say Minerva is not pleased. Murbella was afraid that would be the case.
"Most intriguing," Farraday said, his tone and face unreadable. "I've never known you to be so bold, Mozzie. Miranda, yes, but you? I'm seeing a new side to you."
Miranda made a modest smile when Farraday looked in her direction. "I guess Mozzie's following my example," Miranda said with a carefree shrug. "It could be fun."
"It's stressful," Mozzie admitted, pushing her food around with her fork. "But I must persist. I spoke to a kind bartender who gave me fine advice a few days ago. What lies on the other side of fear? I must find out."
"We're all proud of you, Mozzie," Maggie said with a bright smile. "Keep at it! I'm sure something wonderful will happen soon."
"Thank you," Mozzie said softly. She looked a little happier as she took another bite.
"Well! Exploring your options," Farraday said, clearly stalling for time once again. Murbrella could guess what was coming next. And sure enough, a handful of seconds later, he added, "Should I take this to mean you're turning your back on the family business, Mozzie?"
Mozzie froze. "Well..."
"Nothing is decided yet, Father," Maggie intervened swiftly. "Mozzie is doing this to empower herself. It's personal. Perhaps she will continue on this path, or take a position in the family business with a fresh perspective and self-confidence. I trust her to know which route is best."
"I do too," Miranda added boldly. She gestured with her butter knife, flicking a bit of butter away by accident. "Mozzie's gotta flex her mental muscles. And I'm doing it, too. Father, I want to explore Verhamaine and find my future out there. It's calling to me! Lorelai taught me I can do anything I set my mind to."
"I'm glad you found your calling, Miranda," Murbella said with a small smile to try and keep the tone casual and positive. But...
"You too, Miranda? But of course," Farraday said, his tone adopting a slight edge. "Always the free spirit. I... suppose it's what you need during these experimental times. And Mozzie, if you ever have any second thoughts, I will be ready to get you to work in the family business. Everything is in place."
"Thank you, Father," Mozzie told him with increasing confidence, "Still, I must insist on my new plan. Miranda and I both feel that our destiny is ours to seize on our own. You've done so much to protect me, Father, and I am so grateful. But I must do this. Whatever you have protected me from all these years, I am now ready to face it."
"Are you, now?" Farraday said testily. He motioned, and a butler refilled his wineglass. "This is quite the risk, Mozzie. Even if you feel empowered by your past experiences in Queen Lorelai's revolution..."
"It's a leap of faith, Father," Maggie assured him. "Sooner or later, it had to happen."
"Did it?" Minerva suddenly piped up. Everyone turned to look at her. "Remember what we fought for in Lorelai's revolution, Mozzie. A chance to make things right and restore justice. The way things should be. The six of us, dining together in peace... this is our reward. Our family back together again." She motioned with her arms to encompass the room, her yellow gown rustling.
"Hear, hear," Farraday said heartily, raising his wineglass. "Well put, Minerva. The five of you and I may have taken different sides in the civil war, but we fought for the same thing: unity under one cause. My side may have lost, but I can accept that. We must focus on the present: this." He gave his five daughters an expectant look. "Together again in a reunited kingdom, with peace in our time. I believe that concludes the matter." He took a drink.
"Wait," Miranda cried. She set her hands on the tablecloth and bot to her feet. "Father, you make it sound like Mozzie shouldn't go find her dream. I'm not dumb. You want all of us back where we started. You want us to work in your business and do whatever you say! That ain't right!"
"Mind your language, Miranda. You were raised for better," Farraday told her with forced calm. "Minerva and I are working hard to keep our affairs stable and prosperous in the postwar peace."
"Keep things stable your way," Miranda shot back. "Did nothing change after all?"
"Now, let's take a moment to cool our heads," Maggie intervened again as Murbella silently watched with increasing panic. "It seems we want different things here. We have different expectations for our family. Surely, there's a compromise."
"There is, and I offered it," Farraday told Maggie. "Miranda is free to find her future anywhere in the Kingdom of Verhamaine. It's simply her way. Mozzie, however, may not be ready. And if I were to lose two of my daughters, my family would feel truly fractured."
"Lose us?" Miranda repeated with disbelief. "Father, you won't lose us!"
"See this from my point of view, Miranda," Farraday insisted. "I have devoted my life to raising the five of you the best way I knew how. I prepared you for a stable, profitable future in my business. It's how I show my love. If two or more of my daughters were to leave, I'd fear that my family is falling apart."
"It must have hurt you, Father, when we fled Sassanoit to join Lorelai in Coventry," Maggie admitted. "But we are not rebels any longer. There is no war in this kingdom or in our family." She cleared her throat. "We implore you, Father, to see past your fear of the family falling apart. Mozzie is looking past her fear to embrace her future. You can do the same. I know you can."
"That's right," Miranda added, pointing at Farraday. "We're not running away. We're exploring something new! It's different." She glanced at her eldest sister. "You get it, right, Minerva?"
Minerva looked between her father and her four younger sisters. She seemed torn for a moment, then adopted a stern expression. "Sisters, we did the right thing in joining Lorelai's revolution and overthrowing the old order. But that is over. We did all that to reunite our family in a new era of equality and justice. Now that we have it, we should settle into it. Father is willing to work with us in that regard. He and I have been laboring to make it so."
"Yes. Minerva understands the situation best out of the five of you," Farraday put in. "You should listen to her, Maggie, Mozzie, Miranda, Murbella. She's always been your leader. Listen to her leadership now."
"What? Minerva, that's not what we had in mind!" Miranda cried.
Minerva shook her head. "It's not what you had in mind, Miranda."
"Are you betraying us?"
Minerva's eyes flashed. She clenched her hands into fists. "Don't suggest that! This postwar peace is a time of compromise and understanding. You heard father - you are welcome to explore Verhamaine as you always wanted, Miranda. But remember Father's point of view! It would break his heart - and mine - if we all scattered to the winds."
"Minerva, I have to do this," Mozzie added gently but firmly. "Miranda is right. We are not running away."
"I..." Minerva paused, swallowing hard. "Mozzie, I'm not trying to strangle your and Miranda's dreams. I can see how much this means to you! And yes, I clearly remember Miranda daydreaming about something just like this during our revolution days."
"See? You get it," Miranda pressed her eldest sister. "So why are you opposing our plans now? I don't get it!"
Minerva took a deep breath. "This isn't a sudden reversal on my part, Miranda," she explained. "All along, I envisioned our family staying together after the civil war was won. If we all had different assumptions about our postwar life, that is unfortunate, and it's no one's fault. But I must insist: we have to stay together."
Miranda looked aghast. "What...?"
"Perhaps you could return someday and tell us all about your adventures," Minerva suggested. "Then another of us might try it as well. While running Father's business, of course -"
"No!" Miranda cried loudly, making everyone jump. "I can't believe it, Minerva! This isn't what we agreed on!"
"More or less, it is!" Minerva snapped, bolting to her feet. "Don't be rash! I know what's best for us, so listen to me!"
"Indeed," Farraday added conclusively. "Together, we can accomplish anything. I need most of you here, if not all five."
"Minerva, you're wrong," Mozzie declared, also getting to her feet. She was normally so timid, but this time, Murbella saw a fire in her eyes. "Miranda and I know what we're doing. Father even praised me for seeking new jobs in a new field! Does that mean nothing?"
"Well..." Minerva started. She wiped her brow.
"You're contradicting yourself, Minerva. You and Father," Mozzie told her. "You're more confused than Miranda and I could ever be! You should both figure out your own stance before you tell us what to do!"
Everyone stared in shock. Mozzie had never been like this before.
"Ridiculous," Minerva said loftily. "How could you doubt me? Or Father?"
"We're not doubting either of you, Minerva! We just want you to let us be free!" Miranda cried.
Maggie also got to her feet. "That's enough from all of us. Tempers are running hot, and we're going in circles. Let us stop now before we speak words we regret later."
"I agree," Murbella put in, finally shaking herself free of her shocked silence. "Father, everyone... we should adjourn for the night. Please."
"You can't let anything go, can you, Father?" Miranda growled at Farraday, her chest heaving. "Not since Mother -" She stopped, clapping her hands over her mouth, eyes wide with shock.
Minerva's jaw dropped. "Miranda, how dare you -"
"That is more than enough!" Maggie raised her voice, and this time, no one contradicted her. "I believe dinner is over for tonight. Not another word until sunrise tomorrow. And no one touches this subject for the next three days. Do you all hear me?"
Murbella trusted Maggie's words completely, and if the subject of Mother was about to enter the conversation in the way Murbella expected, it was definitely a good idea to stop the debate here. So, Murbella got to her feet while giving everyone a look. "Listen to her," she said. "We are weary. I know what it's like to try and press on with a tired brain. It doesn't end well."
The six of them shared uncomfortable looks, with Miranda and Minerva both looking like they were on the verge of tears. Murbella's heart ached with sympathy, but she knew better than to speak about it right now. Her heart raced with alarm, and the dining room felt more cramped than ever. Unsure what to say next, Murbella simply stalked out of the dining room, her red gown's hem flapping behind her. She didn't say another word all night, just trying to relax in her bedchambers, fighting back tears. She didn't retire to bed until late.