Calael nodded along with everything that was said. He was attentive, at the very least, and wished to convey as much in this meeting. "No citizens directly aggravated me, but my sister was apparently harassed on multiple occasions. She's older now, older than me, and while it was unpleasant, if things go well here I'll encourage her to forgive and forget, as should be expected of someone from our family."

Zeriel's words were encouraging, though Koume's brought a confused expression Cal's face. "There was... only the one incident at the dance, as far as I had heard. I didn't hear of any drink being spiked but... the fight is what spoiled the night." Calael looked down as he processed the bit about the sword. It was the first he'd heard of it.

"If the sword has been pulled I... will have to hurry home to find out who has it. I've been busy, recently, so my knowledge of that-- well-- this is news to me." He didn't seem entirely disparaged by the notion that someone was now wielding the weapon. On the contrary, the nervousness that was only hinting itself outward calmed with the knowledge that it had been done.

"As for hushed disparagements, that was never our intention, not the hushed part. I... can only speak for myself, given I undertook the responsibility for calling this meeting, but my concerns began when we first arrived and I noticed to gridlock within the bureaucracy and how that ended up in some... gross negligence when it came to two particular prisoners I was trying to help. This is all in the past, and I am not trying to dredge it up.

Any rumors that came to your attention were simply our spoken ideas that we might create something efficient that would help the community."

He drummed his fingers along the armrests now and steered the conversation back in the direction of the primary topics. "But.. yes. I was not in attendance when my sister sent Shai away from out home for trying to hurt two others she'd seen on the Gehennan border. We don't know whether they were Obsidian allies or not, but Shai was bent on killing them, and Mikhaila… acted.

Shai is admittedly mostly my friend..." he spoke a little softer. Mentioning Shai brought up more emotion in the demiangel than the simple back and forth of political discussion. "She has grown to become very angry, and frustrated with both Huangzhou and now the Elishevas as well... we stopped her from harming many, tried to explain to her the importance of kindness, but she has suffered through the deaths of people she loved. She... her path worries me."

He looked between the Shogun and the Regent, the regular, amber now a softer, more vulnerable glow. "It's actually for her that I am having this conversation with you. You see--

Isaac tried to kill the oscuri. We can debate the morals of that another time, but the boy was there because he wanted to speak with Sera, and with the way the night went, their fight very nearly turned into a murder. Isaac was stopped by Miss Reito and then..." another sigh. The weight of a recounting of the night's events was difficult to sort through, and the pain it had left upon Calael was evident. "In an attempt to 'fix' things, Sera pushed us to pass on our blessings to some of those gathered there. We are capable of choosing guardians, you see, chosen who will defend us and will be capable of wielding our divine magic.

For whatever reason... Sera was intent on... choosing Isaac, the very same Isaac who only a minute before was holding the head of a fourteen year old boy and threatening to burn him alive. Noel, Mikhaila and I, for hopefully obvious reasons, disagreed. We told him no while the two were gathered on the stage, we said we wouldn't be blessing anyone. That was where it was supposed to end, right?" The way he asked, it was a slip up from the professional tone Cal was trying to maintain. It was all too upset, like he was seeking validation at this point. "But-- it didn't.

I am aware of your opinions on Eiphraem Kang, but given our Mother has met with him again recently, we are still in communications with him. Eiphraem's daughter was in attendance and so, naturally, he was there. I pulled Sera aside to speak with him about the blessings and THEN--" Calael's eyes widened. "When we returned? The archon was more than unsettled. He had fled into the treeline and a poisonous smog was coating the area, he seemed almost defensive</i? perhaps that's what it was... but he was speaking directly to Isaac, he sensed something that we didn't. He tried to ask more questions but Isaac wouldn't have it.

I sent him away. I told him to leave, I--" Calael was speaking faster, more emotional than before. His gaze turned to the table as he was getting more and more caught up in the memories. "And Shai had just gotten there, and Isaac left with her. She still hated us for what Mikhaila did, and given it was a reflection of her own situation, Isaac lured her away. He has been toting her around, and I don't know what they are saying together, but it can't be good.

I am... we are concerned Isaac is manipulating our brother, trying to get the power that we denied him. And I believe--" he looked back at the leaders, his tone turning grave, "--that he is going to attempt to gather more to his cause. Whether that cause is to work against my siblings and I or... something else.

It's... it's very.. worrying. All of it."
(Calael Elisheva)