Rissada - Session 30.8

The morning breaks upon the Cathedral, and, after collapsing for sleep shortly after returning, Nalzij wakes up early, wanting to resume her interrupted conversation with her father.

Eldorean Latissier looks uncomfortable, going over a letter he seems to have received since Nalzij left.
Nalzij: "You'd have already heard the execution at least was stopped, right? ... what's that?"
Eldorean Latissier: "Word from the castle. Regarding the execution and what's going to be done about it."
"...Penned by Prince Aldin."
Nalzij: "Oh. I hadn't said anything about that part, huh?"
Eldorean Latissier: "It doesn't go greatly into detail about what happened, so perhaps you would like to fill in the important parts yourself?"
Nalzij: "About the prince, or the execution?"
"...this is all too complicated."
Eldorean Latissier: "...I think the issue of how the prince returned is inconsequential at the moment."
"About the execution, or about what you wished to tell me before then."
Tisha looks between Eldorean and Nalzij, doing her best to remain silent during this important meeting.
Nalzij: "The Valesians surrendered, the king made them leave the city, all the prisoners survived. What more is there to be done about it?"
Priestess: "There is word that this attack on Rissadan lives is something to be taken seriously."
"One of the half-elves they captured and wished to execute was a cleric. One I personally know and have trained, yet she is confined to the castle to... avoid too many people seeing her and making judgments."
"As for the winged girl... I've heard she was carrying a token indicating membership to the Thaumaturge's Guild. Which would make her a protected member of the city, if she came by it legitimately."
Nalzij: "...Ah. Does Astrid letting her keep it count?"
Eldorean Latissier: "It's hard to say. I can't say the guild laws are my strongest suit."
"They're... vague on whether the membership tokens even count if the guild has been formally disbanded."
Nalzij: "It's not like the Valesians knew how she got it. It's about time someone does something about them."
Eldorean Latissier: "...Hence the letter."
Nalzij: "What does it say?"
Eldorean Latissier: "Based on who they were able to talk to after the conflict, it would indicate that they were receiving commands directly from the Grand Marshal of the Valesian Knights himself."
"Which would make these unprovoked attacks... an act of high treason."
Tisha: "Nnn..."
Nalzij: "Is it to be a civil war?"
Priestess: "We would hope it does not come to that. Yet the Valesians are giving us few options."
"They have not precisely acted as if they served under the crown over the last few hundred years."
Nalzij: "Oh, right, the Alchemists' Guild, though!"
Eldorean Latissier: "Ah, the matter before the news broke."
"I would like to hear of it."
Nalzij: "I don't know what was the guild and what was Valesia, but the guild was part of it. Giving them supplies and aid, at least."
"They enslaved a bunch of people from Nubaros, and did... things to them. They can't even talk anymore."
Eldorean Latissier: "People from Nubaros...?"
Nalzij: "I think so? The papers said something about Nubaros and I haven't seen anyone else who looks like them."
Eldorean Latissier looks deep in thought.
Priestess: "We haven't heard from Nubaros in ages..."
Nalzij: "But the problem is now they've got nowhere to go and no way to survive."
"...and it sounds like we only were able to save a small number of them, compared to how many were already sold..."
Eldorean Latissier: "Sold?!"
Nalzij: "Some of the nobles were buying them as pets."
Priestess: "How horrific..."
Nalzij: "That's not even the half of it..."
Nalzij pounds a fist on the table in frustration
Eldorean Latissier: "It's going to be difficult to figure out which nobles have been buying slaves, but we'll attempt to find out what we can."
"Between the Valesians and Nubarans, our resources are going to be stretched thin..."
"Too many of our men looking for nobles in black markets means fewer to defend ourselves..."
Nalzij: "It'll be a while before word gets out of what happened, right? We might still be able to catch someone trying to buy others..."
Priestess: "It's possible. But at the same time, if the Alchemists' Guild was truly involved, they aren't going to be pleased."
Nalzij: "That merchant would have to do something about it, maybe if he could tip someone off without it getting back to him. I want to make sure he doesn't wind up dead for having helped us anyway."
Eldorean Latissier thinks for a bit, then nods.
Eldorean Latissier: "You know about the situation a lot more than we do, at this point, but you've given us a lot to act on."
"It's going to be difficult to pin the slave purchase on the nobles without some sort of proof they made the deals, but we will see what we can do."
Priestess: "What will you do, Lady Nalzij?"
Nalzij: "Nnn, yeah. Thanks, Father. It's at least something to know who's responsible, even if our hands are tied to act on it."
"I don't know. I still need to talk to the others, and hear from the prince."
Eldorean Latissier: "Yes, the prince... he and his father have made quite the miraculous return, so right now the public opinion is on our side."
Nalzij: "We'll set up someplace for those people to stay, I guess. I don't know what more to do. Besides go have a chat with that merchant."
"We did catch one of the nobles there. He... didn't seem to really understand what he was doing."
Eldorean Latissier: "Didn't fully realize?"
"Aren't these human lives being peddled?"
Nalzij: "Not human. They look... like animals, with human forms. I'm not sure he really understood they were even intelligent, the way he acted."
Priestess: "They look like animals? So the nobles are buying them as... housepets or something?"
Nalzij: "Right. They don't have any excuse to see it that way, but... I really don't think that one understood what he was doing."
"(Star purify my mind of the harm I'd like to do to that man...)"
Tisha walks over to Nalzij, sensing her stress.
Nalzij looks at Tisha, trying to force a smile
Eldorean Latissier: "We'll keep that in mind, it should make it difficult for the nobles to hide them."
"Feel free to act on your own judgment in this regard. It hasn't failed you so far."
"Come to us if you discover any new information or simply need a brief respite from the battle's toll."
Nalzij: "I will. Thank you!"
Priestess: "May the Star light your path, Lady Nalzij."
Nalzij: "And yours. I'll do my best."
"Tisha, you keep staying safe too, okay?"
Tisha: "Mmhmm! I'll do m' best, Nally!"
Nalzij looks at Tisha a bit more carefully, fidgeting with her uniform
Nalzij: "...Tisha. You should know, you've been through enough already with us. Orz - Dark Lady - she died yesterday, saving Pitch's little sister."
Tisha: "D-dark Lady? ...Died...?"
Eldorean Latissier: "...Orz died... how tragic..."
Tisha: "D-dark lady... dark lady..."
Tisha has begun to sob, the news striking her hard.
Nalzij hugs Tisha gently
Tisha clings to Nalzij, seeming desperate for emotional support.
Eldorean Latissier: "And without Tharrius here anymore, it's like she's losing everybody close to her."
Nalzij: "He ought to be here. Isn't he going to come back, now?"
Eldorean Latissier looks down, turning away from Nalzij slightly.
Eldorean Latissier: "Miss Mia, would you please excuse us?"
Priestess: "As you wish, sire."
Priestess gets up, leaving the room.
Nalzij tries to catch his eye, puzzled
Nalzij: "What happened?"
Eldorean Latissier: "Tharrius has no intention to return to Rissada City. In fact, due to his exile, he no longer has the ability to."
Tisha continues sobbing into Nalzij's chest.
Eldorean Latissier: "When I saw that he entrusted Tisha to you, I understood."
Nalzij: "He can't have murdered someone who's alive. Isn't the prince going to do anything about this?"
Eldorean Latissier: "Even if the prince forgave his exile, that doesn't... change the circumstances of the exile itself."
"...In any event, I feel that he does not wish to return."
Nalzij hugs Tisha tighter, scowling
Eldorean Latissier: "About eight years ago, he lost somebody very important to him. Since then he hasn't been himself."
"I don't know how much he told you about his past, or his plans for the future..."
"But if he entrusted Tisha to you, then he has gone somewhere to meet his end."
Nalzij: "...But that's... that's just cowardly, no matter what happened..."
Eldorean Latissier: "...On one hand, I have to agree. But at the same time, I do not know personally what pain he underwent."
"I really don't know what to think of it all."
Nalzij: "Tisha..."
Tisha: "Nally... -sniff- Dark lady..."
Nalzij: "What about Raza?"
Eldorean Latissier: "I don't know Raza that well. By the time Tharrius brought Tisha to me, Raza and Orz were already full grown and able to fend for themselves."
Nalzij: "He acted strange. I just wonder if being reminded of Tisha might help him."
Eldorean Latissier: "I couldn't say."
"Tisha trusts you, however. And I trust that you know what's best for her."
"If Tharrius and I were like brothers, then indeed Tisha must be like your cousin."
Nalzij: "Hm, yeah... I need to leave for now, Tisha, but I promise I'll come back and visit later, okay?"
Nalzij hugs Tisha again, and gets up to leave
Tisha nods through her tears.