M15: Meanwhile... Flames of War and Love

The Tyranitar had immediately taken charge once more, much to Alaric's chagrin. He sat, coiled and still simmering from Ptolemy's threat at a nearby table; watching the larger 'mon as he explained extra details that were being brought up in question by his citizens about their imminent venture into the sandstorm. Ptolemy is firm, easy to understand, and quick to answer every curiousity presented to him. Thus, it was no wonder in how his citizens latched onto his every word, even if a few of them appeared tired and only following instructions out of necessity.
Still, the majority appeared eager to listen and the Serperior wasn't sure how his self-esteem felt about that.''
: He sure knows how to take control-
: That's right, Father sure is impressive, huh! Even without showing off his mountain-leveling powers!
: Ah! (whirling around to spot Seb near his tail)
: Ah-um, Seb, was it? Ptolemy's son? 
: Oh, sorry for startling you, lord snake, sir... but yes, I am Seb and our great leader is my great father.
: That's quite alright, though I would prefer Lord Alaric or just Alaric.
: Oh, right, Alaric! So since you wear that odd crown, what are you the lord of?
: Aether, that's a nation to the far west of here on Avalon's mainland. It's a lot more green than Khetmaat, the most sand you will see is on its shores. 
: Aether?
: What's the matter?
: Well- I hope it doesn't offend you Alaric, but there is no Aether on our maps. In the direction you mentioned, north of Artiphron. I was told there's just smaller villages and towns ruled by various houses…
: Oh-! Do you mean to say you are the lord of one of such houses?
: Not quite. While the queen I married is from one of these houses - the Ulster provinces, in fact - I myself hail from another land all together, far away from Avalon. Aether only recently became a united nation, so perhaps your maps are a little outdated.
: A land far away?
: Well… I suppose that's possible, I will have to ask my father. I'm sure he knows all about Aether already if he allows you all the honor to help him out.
: Honor?
: Well, regardless, since we are talking about our homes- did you grow up inside these caves?
: Basically! Husani told me you even thought this place was named after my dad! 
: To be fair I didn't even know your father's name at that point-
: It's actually called the Jrt Nswt, which means King's Eyes. It's way old, like way way old, so old that it was already old when my Grandpa started using it as a base and refugee camp! 
: So it wasn't built by your father or grandfather? What was its original purpose?
: I’m not sure, but Paki claims his direct ancestors lived around the time of these great builders that constructed the trial, the library, this place, and the pillar system that my father wants to reactivate - and taught his people the art of maintaining and constructing these structures as well as how to navigate the dessert using the stars
: But Paki also believes they were gods that came from “the great eye” in the sky to share their knowledge and that he can capture the essence of celestial bodies in the spheres he creates, so I’m not sure if he's correct or if it's just Paki being Paki…
: But! Even though he didn’t make this place, my grandfather did have to use his awesome power to excavate it as a lot of the interior had collapsed!
: I see-
: Yeh, my grandfather and my father are super strong, so I'm basically guaranteed to be super strong too! But my father doesn't allow me to train with the others.
Alaric lets a smile creep onto his face at the young 'mon's posturing: reminded him of someone...
: So being strong is important to you?
: No, I really dislike fighting actually, but you need to be strong to protect others and that's important to me. He says we have enough warriors to do that and I should focus on my studies, but if everyone is away to do battle, who is left behind to fight if they come to our home?
: That's a good reason, but seeing as you are important to your father, he probably wants to protect you too by not involving you in the battle. I feel the same towards my own son, Nicolas, even when he wishes I wouldn't.
: When I was really little, my father tried to leave me behind with priest Baal-hamon in the pharaoh's palace in Aw Ibek. He had wanted me to study under his tutelage and either end up serving under him or learn another craft to serve in the palace. At the time I thought I was being punished, or simply unwanted by my father… but now that I'm older, I do understand he was trying to protect me, though it still hurts a little.
: Was this during the time the Pharaoh, Sa'Perah's husband, was killed?
: Yes. My father was afraid the council would connect me to him, if they hadn't already, as they no doubt were watching Sa'Perah Ah and we spent some time together after she figured us out. I miss her and I think my dad does too.
: …
: Seb, you say you both miss her and from what Jendayi said earlier about her and Ptolemy… What about your mo-
: Seb, what did your father say about talking to strangers? They don't get much stranger than this lot if you ask me.
: But-!
: If you really want to go talk to a stranger, go distract that Lucario. He's looking antsy and it's driving me up the wall.
Husani points towards Cecil standing in the corner observing Matteo and Ptolemy, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible and Seb scurries off towards him, quick as a flash. Husani watches until the Larvitar has reached his target and is chattering away before clearing his throat.
: I know you were all eager for Ptolemy's life story, but what gave you the bright idea to ask a kid about his obviously not-present mother?
: Oh! So she’s…?
: Really? 
: Yeh, she's gone, that satisfies your curiosity?
: Satisfies? Of course not, I’m sorry to hear of her passing. 
: Passing? You mean her murder-
: Husani, I do believe I sent you over here to prevent Seb having to talk about such topics, not to take his place.
: You know for the hulking boulder of a man you are, you really should stop sneaking up on people, it’s making me look bad whenever you succeed.
: I’m sorry, Ptolemy, I didn't mean to disrespect you, I- … Well, I suppose it’s only fair to tell you.
: It’s not as unfamiliar a tale to me. In the land I hail from, my second queen fell due to a conqueror who wrought destruction upon my former kingdom.
Someone clears their throat and Husani gasps like a magikarp as a familiar Pikachu hops up from the Tyranitar’s spines he was resting on to stand on the rebel leader’s shoulder.
: While I don’t doubt Cecil can keep Seb busy for the time being, perhaps in the interest of not having Seb overhear any of this we should relocate to the room we were in before?
: Ptolemy, first the bug and now this rodent: this is really hurting your intimidation factor…
Ptolemy allows himself a brief smirk before guiding them back into the large room. Alaric goes to his previous position close to the table as Matteo jumps off of Ptolemy's spikes onto the table and then to a nearby chair. Husani leans comfortably against the far wall, crossing his arms over his chest and Ptolemy sits at the table opposite of Alaric, drumming his talons across the arm of the chair before speaking.
: Since you’ve insisted on digging further into my affairs, I can only assume you would continue to do so by questioning others regardless of my wishes. I would rather deal with this now than have you distract my people when they should be preparing for the upcoming mission.
: I’m sorr-
: I’m a busy man, Alaric. I have no time for your continued apologies when they do not impact your future actions - just ask your questions.
: …
: Well, if you do not mind me taking the opportunity instead then, I have been meaning to ask you about the blade you carry. It’s not quite a common Khetmaatian design.
: That’s because it’s not. It’s Gailamiran, but I think you already knew this.
: If it’s indeed the blade used to take Akhen-Aton's life then yes, I suspected as much.
: What?!!!
: No need to yell - (sighing) - this is what I have to put up with, nosey and noisy tourists.
: Husani, why are you still here? I gave you enough other tasks.
: First off, I don’t work for you. Secondly, moral support! Can’t leave you alone with these two nosey ones! 
: I think the reason you are sticking around is because you too are nosey.
: Well, you can’t be a good trader if you are not nosey, nor if you are too nosey, but I’m just the right amount of nosey, I will have you know. 
: (ignoring the nosey conversation) But why a Gailamiran blade?
: My mother, she was from Gailamir. There were very few people outside the palace who knew this at the time; the council knew though, so you imagine what narrative they created.
: I’m not sure I follow, actually. I thought your father was accused of killing the pharaoh, not your mother? 
: The blade had been a gift from my mother to my father. That is not to say the council did not try to prosecute my mother.
: Alaric, perhaps your confusion will be cleared more if we go about this in order. If Ptolemy is willing to indulge some of my questions regarding his father, Onouphrios; this is after all why I brought up the blade.
Ptolemy stares at Matteo briefly before leaning back and placing one elbow on the arm of the chair, cupping his chin in his raised hand.
: What is it you want to know?
: Well, I had hoped you could shed some light on what actually happened that day.
The Pikachu gets comfortable as well, steepling his fingers in his lap before continuing.
: By all “official” accounts, your father was declared guilty for orchestrating the assassination of Pharaoh Akhen-Aton’s wife and two sons using Gailamiran soldiers hidden among his ranks. The council claimed they had found evidence that this alliance with Gailamir was already in play during the War of Will and Fire.
: Supposedly, Onouphrios had made an accord with the enemy that he would help them win the war by sabotaging the battle at the front and killing the pharaoh, so that there would be enough time for reinforcements from the Gailamiran side to arrive. In return, he would become the new pharaoh after Gailimir’s victory.
: Right, the “official” account which states, ‘these plans were only foiled by the great Nakht-pa-Aten and his play at the vermillion grasp.’
: Indeed that’s what the “official” accounts state. However, it’s relatively well known that even Akhen-Aton did not believe Onouphrios was guilty. But then, instead of waiting for a chance to defend himself, your father somehow escaped his cell and “that” Gailamiran blade right there was used to kill the pharaoh.
: So why did my father not sit around to wait to be heard? Obviously he would have fought the accusations, so he was not given the chance. When he learned Nakht-pa-Aten planned to kill the pharaoh, he broke out to stop this from happening - but it was a trick, the pharaoh was already dead at this time and my father was killed by guards when he entered the chambers.
: What I’m trying to get at, Ptolemy, is you claimed before that your father was framed and you are not alone in this belief - but do you have any evidence? It would certainly help to convince Sa'Perah to rectify these records.
: And you would see to that, huh? Shouldn't we prioritize our current and future problems, not the past?
: Of course, but we have some time before we have to face those problems and, if in facing them, you were to fall, then so does your knowledge of the truth… unless I am able to make a record of it. I, that is to say the Guild, definitely has some pull to make sure such an amendment to the story will be brought before the proper channels and listened to.
It was obvious to see the gears turning in Ptolemy's head as he thought over the mouse's proposal and it didn't take long for him to sit up straight in his chair, nodding grimly.
: Very well, if it could mean clearing my father's name regardless of my own fate…
: I grew up in the palace. I had studied under a personal friend of my father, priest Baal-hamon and when my father became incarcerated, I begged him for an opportunity to see my father. He helped me by showing me a secret passage, which is where after speaking with my father I hid away as someone approached and was witness to Nakht-pa-Aten taunting him about his plans. 
: Nobody else was around to verify this? No other inmates or guards?
: No. I thought it was odd at the time but didn’t think much of it with more pressing issues.
: It’s not a bad question; the lack of guards being stationed, with such a high profile suspect, that itself could be evidence of foul play, Ptolemy. Please continue.
: My father instructed me to inform Baal-hamon, so I did, but the priest reached the room only for Nakht-pa-Aten to tell him he was in charge of preparing the pharaoh's body for mummification… Upon his return to me is where I first heard the pharaoh had been killed with my father’s “unique Gailamiran" blade, which had stabbed into the lord’s back.
: Now let me tell you, I don’t know how it’s in Aether, but here we don’t let prisoners keep their weapons-
: He could not have retrieved it either, as he headed straight from the cell to the pharaoh's chambers. 
: Nobody tried to stop him?
: There were no sentries to stop him, which the bug blamed on Onouphrios' allies within the forces. Ironic, since he no doubt arranged it: why else would the guards show up just as Onouphrios entered the chambers? 
: So nobody even caught as much as a glimpse of him?
: While that might have been his plan, someone did see my father - though I only found out about them years later upon my return to the city from Baal-hamon, as my mother had kept it from me in hopes of not encouraging me to exact some plan for vengeance.
: A witness? Who was it? Is it still verifiable?
: You can go out and take a right to ask her yourselves. The Hippowdon you saw before? Her name is Meritites, she used to be one of the pharaoh's wife's attendants. 
: My family was well acquainted with her. She would tell me years later she went to visit the pharaoh to plead for my father and us after he was arrested. On that day, she remembers feeling very uneasy and peeking around corners as the hallways were dark and abandoned. 
: The first person she saw the entire way there was my father, calling out to the pharaoh before forcing the doors of the pharaoh's chambers open - and he wasn't carrying any blade. 
: She heard him call out the pharaoh's name again in anguish before rushing inside; she had wanted to look into the room but was too nervous to move. Moments after, she heard many footfalls draw near and hid further under a nearby curtain as guards came rushing in from every direction followed by Nakht-pa-Aten; then she heard my father roar out the bug's name before-
: -my father was pierced by multiple arrows and fell.
: Only a tiny Hippopotas at the time, nobody seemed to have noticed her slip out.
: She went to my mother who came to find me at Baal-hamon's quarters. Baal-hamon concluded it wouldn't be safe for us to stay in the capital because of our connection to my father and my mother's connection to the Gailamir, so he helped us escape before the guards could find us.
: So that's what happened: in an attempt to save the pharaoh, he played right into Nakht-pa-Aten' claws. But nobody knows which individual dealt the actual killing blow?
: Whether he did it himself or hired someone, it was clear who was behind it.
A brief, potent silence hangs over the air. Alaric clears his throat lightly before drawing the discussion onward.
: Ptolemy, you said they tried to prosecute your mother, so how did you both keep hidden?
: They had no chance in finding them. Baal-hamon put them in contact with my grandmother, who took them far away from Aw Ibek, over the Ḥ'pī nswt. Crossing the lower ranges of the vermillion grasp and traveling along the mountain range, only briefly stopping at the Mefkaht Oasis to arrange the crossing of the eastern river Ḥ'pī Aur, then bringing them all the way to the Hedj Oasis.
: But why didn't Meritites come forward before?
: Because the guys that orchestrated then subsequently covered-up the pharaoh's murder would have trouble removing some handmaiden if she became an issue? More than that, would you risk it when people were not even guaranteed to believe you or even listen?
: Baal-hamon told her not to, especially with the council on high alert as they moved on to the final stage of their plan for power.
: I assume you are referring to Nakht-pa-Aten having the council force Sa’Perah into marrying him so he could take the throne. 
: Why would she agree to this, wasn’t she the new pharaoh?
: No, just being of the Pharaoh's bloodline isn’t enough to rule; in addition, she had not managed to complete the trial of Mesprit yet. Having underwent it yourself, you should imagine why it was hard for her to do- that, and with her age at 15 and the last three years destabilizing her family's position within Khetmaat…
: It was never her decision, really: not like they left her any choice.
: Were you aware your father was the rebel leader before he was exposed to be? 
: No, my father had never wished to involve me in any of it. His "rebellion" was never against the pharaoh; if anything, it was to protect him just as much as our people- one from the actions themselves and the other from the pain and regret that they would net him when he came to his senses.
: But if you were not part of the rebellion then, how did you become its leader now?
: I wouldn't have any involvement for a long time. I spent my years growing up in the oasis we had fled to; we were unable to leave Khetmaat as the new "pharaoh" had closed the eastern borders completely and my mother feared he was still searching for us and we would not reach Gailamir without getting caught. 
The Tyrainitar leans forward and points at the Hedj Oasis on the map laid out on the table, towards the eastern section of the map.
: It's important you understand the situation in the eastern lands before I can answer clearly. Due to its proximity to the Gailamir border and distance from Aw Ibek, we had many refugees enter these lands in the period after the War of Will and Fire, mostly Gailamiran.
: Before the murder of his wife and sons, Akhen-Aton welcomed them with open arms… and after the assassination, he just focused on the towns closest to the Wahdj oasis when he started his witch hunt. I suppose he believed it was unlikely those past the Ḥ'pī nswt had been the perpetrators, or at least that they could not have returned there with the constant guards at the river.
: Why would he allow the refugees to begin with, even prior to having a personal vendetta with them?
: Akhen-Aton was a firm believer in the spirit of Mesprit and the ability to offer mercy and compassion- though if you ask me, he just felt guilty.
: Guilty?
: My father told me he abhorred the slaughter at the vermillion grasp and had been unaware of it until it was far too late. He had hoped that the size of the combined armies of Artiphron and Khetmaat would have caused the Gailamir people to surrender or at least consider negotiations…
: But didn’t he give the order for the battalion himself?
: Yes and no. Nakht-pa-Aten was a brilliant strategist and when scouts sent word of reinforcements coming from Gailamir, among them heavily-guarded Badiyan soldiers…
: Well, he asked permission from the pharaoh to lead a battalion through the northern red waste to intercept them, strengthening the Voluntan forces still fighting in that area, to keep from reinforcements arriving before they could get Gailamir to surrender. The pharaoh told him he couldn’t spare him a large force, especially when, though Nakht-pa-Aten assured him he could navigate it, the area was not safe to traverse, making it too large a risk to send a larger force in case Nakht-pa-Aten had been overconfident and failed. 
: But he didn’t fail.
: No, he made it past the area and arrived just in time, SOMEHOW managing to not just have the reinforcements retreat, but also turn around and lead the remaining soldiers to outflank the army around the capital. 
: If I recall, this caused chaos at the front of the battle and it was over much sooner than anticipated.
: The bug was seen as a real hero for ending the war. Nobody really stopped to question how in the world he had accomplished it - well, except for making up tall tales that is.
: I assume you have your own theories.
: My father believed he must have struck some kind of deal with the non-Gailamiran reinforcements. For them to have joined him in scaring large numbers of the Gailamiran into the vermillion grasp… a small battalion would not be able to create such distraction. 
: Seeing as it would have been more profitable than sending their own people to the frontlines when they were unsure of a victory, now that the triad had united their force.
: Hmm, that’s possible… So you suggest Nakht-pa-Aten didn't have any more of an alliance with Gailamiran troops than your father did?
: (shrugging) Who knows - not with any that weren't willing to turn on their own people, anyway. 
: If the Pharaoh was so horrified by his actions, why keep him around?
: Since he had ended the war swiftly and saved many Khetmaatian people’s lives, he couldn’t go against the council’s advice to give Nakht-pa-Aten him higher function on the council as chief general and advisor, which of course paved the way to his eventual secession as pharaoh himself after Akhen-Aton's murder.
: Either way, regarding the Gailamiran refugees? I don’t think I need to tell you that the new pharaoh did not share this idea of mercy or guilt about the lives of the Gailamiran as his predecessor…
: The new Pharaoh may have appeared to be an improvement compared to the last three years at first, but eastern Khetmaat would soon learn this was nothing but a ruse. 
: Meanwhile, western Khetmaat thrived: things like a failed harvest were easily fixed by taking provisions from the east, all while having the means to trade for the shortage with the nearby nations but refusing to.
: Nakht-pa-Aten had an insatiable hunger for wealth and power. It became abundantly clear the 'mon had made deals with various groups in order to feed it. 
: The reason Nakht-pa-Aten kept his people near the borders wasn’t so much to keep the people in, it was to provide easy access to his "partners". Many outsiders arrived and made theri way to the capital: foreign warriors to join Nakht-pa-Aten’s new army forces and traders, from places like Samudaay, Voluntas, and Badiya. Only their wares were-
: People. Many of them dealt in people.
: Slave traders?
: At first they just seemed to pass through. But, as the years passed, some of us started to notice they had less people around to do business with.
: It had started with the Gailamiran refugees, but soon the villages started to be stripped of their provisions and cut off from the outside, slowly emptied of their inhabitants regardless of their ethnicity. 
: I had started to investigate this matter and found like-minded individuals like Hager. We traveled with Husani’s company, under the guise of merchants, starting to don masks and attack convoys to redistribute the provisions or free the people that were taken. As more people joined our cause and we started to organize, we were able to take back villages and hold them.
: But the Pharaoh took notice… One day, he lured us away on a wild goose chase. By the time we returned, we found out that they had cut off Ptolemy’s village and had tried to make them sell us out. They had already left, but there was not much to return to…
: …
: I learned my wife had given birth in my absence. She had not survived in her weakened state. 
: I’m- (catching himself before he could apologize yet again) I believe I can understand the hate you have for this man now…
The Tyranitar grunts, clearly not used to talking so long about this matter and he takes a deep breath before continuing.
: We were not the only village to suffer that fate. When Husani arrived with news that other villages were being raided simultaneously, we were forced to leave the area as our current strategy had backfired. I needed a place to hide and lay low to lick our wounds. My mother had told me years ago that my father had created a refugee camp to the far west for the villagers and rebels he hid away from the pharaoh - this mountain we are currently in. 
: Though the travel was arduous, we fortunately had some of our rank who had infiltrated the river guard and we passed ourselves off as slave traders, avoiding capture at the Ḥ'pī Aur crossing. I decided that if we were to keep our travel and destination secret, the Mefkaht and Sety oases would be too risky, so we diverted to the Tefer Oasis instead. We then crossed the Ḥꜣtj Ḥ'pī at the Benet Ib after restocking supplies at the port under the guise of going to deliver them to the Qenyt Oasis.
: I then turned this place into our new base as we planned our next move, though I suppose all that was really on our mind was revenge. 
: So you planned to take out the pharaoh?
: I wouldn't call it much of a plan- (cocking a thumb towards Ptolemy) ... this guy just headed off to infiltrate the palace and kill both Sa'Perah and Nakht-pa-Aten. Then when we learned Sa'Perah would be preparing to travel north along the Ḥ'pī nbt to Khesbedj Falls to prepare for an attempt at the Trial of Emotions, he went there to take her out first- then promptly abandoned that plan and saved her life instead when someone tried to take her out before he could.
: I didn't expect an assassination attempt that wasn't us, but I thought it could give me an in. It was no secret that Sa'Perah was not the real one in charge, but saving her life could help me gain her trust and, through her, reach Nakht-pa-Aten. Taking her out afterwards would have been easy.
: And your childhood ties surely had nothing to do with it…
Ptolemy glares sharply at Husani who merely grins toothily in response.
: Regardless of what may have contributed to my changed plan, the idea worked and she invited me into the palace. I was admittingly conflicted on my next course of action; I would be brought before the pharaoh in the morning so he could "personally thank me," but I was aware that it would not have been the right moment to strike and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to keep my calm when facing the man.
: On top of that, I still didn't know what to do with Sa'Perah, to let her live or...
: (with a short sigh) So, during the night, I left the guest quarters and sought the advice of an old friend, Baal-hamon. He had been surprised to see me, to say the least - even mistook me for the spirit of my father at first. But he quickly shepherded me inside his chambers so we could speak.
: We came up with a cover: I would pose as a Voluntan mercenary hired by a trading company and claim my only interest in saving Sa'Perah was in what the pharaoh could offer me. Knowing how suspicious Nakht-pa-Aten is and how much I needed to stay in the palace, I hoped that getting a respected trader to vouch for me would help me get a job as a guard.
: Of course, I was that trader.
: You? With all your activities, how did nobody suspect you of being a rebel?
: Because I'm not one. I've only ever been a trader, as a certified not-rebel, that was all I was known as. Since my company conducted business throughout Khetmaat, including with the pharaoh himself, I brought him enough gold junk that he was quite fond of me. Ptolemy is a true rebel, a fighter, but I prefer a different approach: meet them with a smile and open arms, then twist the knife slowly.
: Bet that would give your two captains a real treat, affirming their Dark type bias no doubt.
: That's ridiculous, my son is a Dark element, an Umbreon. I assure you, it's just a coincidence the three rebels we've met are of such typing.
: Or two rebels and one trader, I mean.
: Thank you.
: It's no bias, they are both just naturally irate. Though I do not deny we've certainly observed bias within some of Aether's people about Dark and not to forget Ghost and Poison types- 
: If you feel you've been treated especially unfairly, Husani, I apologize. I fear in Aether we recently had a child die by the hands of a Krokorok guard. Seeing you so soon after must have been a reminder of that event for some; it's nothing personal I assure you.
: If you think I care what they think of me, you are mistaken, but you should be a bit more aware of the impression your company makes.
: Speaking of, you keep saying your company, but you only seem to show up alone. 
: Am I not company enough? I'm hurt. Divide and conquer, rodent - a good "nosey" trader makes sure they have loyal ears everywhere. 
: If you could wait with this back and forth until you are finished asking me about a rectification of false history? I do have other things to do.
: Well, I was surprised to receive his message. We had a large falling out as I ridiculed his "plan" to just go and "assassinate" Sa'Perah like that; it was not the right course of action what with just him being blinded by what had happened to his wife. Of course Hager went along with it at the time- ... though he in turn had flipped out when Ptolemy spared Sa'Perah and told him to stay out of sight-
: Husani.
: Whatever. So when Hager showed up with Ptolemy's message- two actually, the actual message telling me what my "Voluntan lackey" had done and why I needed to show up. Then a second message encoded within to bring his son and drop him off at the inn with some Hippowdon lady before coming to the palace…
: Meritites?
: Baal-hamon had told me she would want to speak with me. I said I would some days later if everything went well, but in turn I requested she would take my son into the palace and to the priest so that he wouldn't be seen with any of us. Regardless of whether our plan would work or not, I decided it would be best to distance myself from my son and him from the rebellion by giving him a better life in the palace under Baal-hamon's protection.
: That's what Seb told me, but that it didn't work out because of what happened next.
: I can tell you what happened next. I deliberately planned to arrive very late at the palace and indulged myself in multiple drinks at the tavern while causing a scene in order to give Meritites time to go to the palace while I "drunkenly lamented" having to come here for some Voluntan good-for-nothing who shirked his master and duty to get involved with some royal. "One that probably took advantage of the fool to get another excuse not to complete the trial", "disloyal Voluntan continuing to bring us Khetmaatians nothing but trouble, just like that cursed lady bringing misfortune wherever she goes, look what happened to her family,” you know, things like that.
: Of course, I did all this right as some of the palace guards ended their shifts and came to look for something to drown the night. Took some real convincing and stressing where I was supposed to be and who I was supposed to meet to get them to do their duty to drag me to the palace. Even had to start a bar fight with some "Sa'Perah loyalists"-
: Not my proudest moment, I got too much liquor in me, or too into my role, I knocked poor Hager out - though that worked out for the better, lucky for us the spy plays a much better member of the Claws of Ammut than loyalist, I tell you that.
: All so the meeting would be postponed to the next day when you showed up in such a state, so late at night?
: Of course! I was "escorted" to some guest quarters, though I'm sure the guards themselves wanted to throw me in a cell.
: Why did you want the meeting to be delayed and paint him in a bad light if you just came to confirm Ptolemy's story to help him out?
: I assure you I wasn't being petty - well mostly not - but I surely wasn't just gonna go along with this newest "plan" before giving Ptolemy a piece of my mind first and suggesting he follow my lead during the meeting instead to get out of here as soon as possible.
: The idiot wanted to offer his services as a guard to the pharaoh, as if that would ever work, so I wanted to make him sound as unreliable as possible, since I was sure the pharaoh would hear of my tirade. Of course, Ptolemy wasn't even grateful I sacrificed some of my good reputation to save his tail.
: After waiting a good hour, the man himself showed up at my door and once he was inside, we had a 'civil' discussion. Only for Sa'Perah's handmaiden to attack Ptolemy and interrogate him at blade's end, asking what a rebel thought he was doing with her master. Then in my perhaps slightly more inebriated state than planned, I took that wrong and thought you'd done something you'd-
: Was that Jendayi? How did she know who you were? 
: Let's just say that's one servant that went above and beyond to protect her master- including eavesdropping on her husband and his council and no doubt us and Ptolemy himself ever since he saved her master. Of course, I might have made things more confusing by taking Jendayi's side, because really, what was Ptolemy doing fraternizing with her? That's why my plan to get out and think this through was better.
: But surely she could not have hoped to defeat Ptome. It's not exactly a fair match-up, so why confront him like this?
: It wasn't very wise, but it wasn't as if she had any back-up to fall back on. And if we killed her, it would have exposed us too. 
: Besides, she hoped to use us for her own plans instead. She knew Ptolemy wanted Nakht-pa-Aten dead, and as she had indeed heard him talk to Baal-hamon who had told him he was glad Ptolemy had saved Sa'Perah and tried to further dissuade him from any plans against her-
: So this is when you decided to work together to get rid of Nakht-pa-Aten?
: (shrugging) She offered us a good deal: a way to make Ptolemy's plan to stay at the palace work by her convincing her master to accept him as a personal guard, and in turn he would take that job seriously and help her prepare and complete the trial.
: As just a Meowth, she must have realized she couldn't actually protect her master by herself from any attempts her husband would make on her life.
: Indeed, it was the best chance I was going to get to take out Nakht-pa-Aten, so I bound my word to an oath to protect her. Once she completed the trial, I would be freed of it and Jendayi would help me retrieve my father’s blade from the vault to kill him.
: Though the blade would serve as a message, I would also leave a message on his corpse to make sure my identity was revealed. 
: … That was your original plan and what then? Flee the city, and-
: Live in a cave somewhere?
: I suppose things wouldn’t have changed much for you from what actually happened.
: Not true. I would have had the satisfaction of having him die by my hands, though now it seems I have been given a second chance at that.
: But I still don't understand why he would even want to kill Sa’Perah Ah? Did he truly fear she would gain so much control back over the country by completing the trial when the council was already in his pocket? Even then, he would still be her husband?
: Let us just say she had outlived her usefulness to him and she was becoming more of a problem then she was worth now that his claim on the throne had become more secure over the years.
: So Jendayi went off to convince Sa'Perah to take Ptolemy as a guard- of course without telling her who he actually is... and I go over some last details with Ptolemy before he leaves and we reconvene the day after in front of the bug. Ptolemy gets questioned first, tells his story, I’m brought in to confirm if I know this man. I, of course, apologize because I would “assume” he had done something wrong, so on and so forth.
: Then Ptolemy asks for a job as guard, because since I bought him from the colosseum he wasn’t paid. I say he’s lucky I detest violence because he certainly deserves it for betraying my trust in lending him a bit of freedom, only for him to not show up for work and instead go to a palace without letting me know, doing Mesprit knows what. I. of course. used the opportunity to tell the bug about some trinkets I'd acquired, if he was interested, to make up for any problems my employee might have caused. 
: Husani’s remarks cause Sa’Perah to speak up and correct his “assumption” that I was up to no good, saying I had saved her life and if I were indeed interested, she would hire me as a personal guard. Her husband said it would be unnecessary, that he already had plenty of guards watching over her and could assign more. Jendayi then pointed out that those guards had failed to protect Sa’Perah Ah in the recent attack and if not for me showing up she’d be dead; she needed someone competent, a quality the personal guards provided to her had so far lacked.
: Nakht-pa-Aten does not sound like a man who would have allowed a handmaiden to freely speak against him.
: Oh no, he was furious, especially when her remark gave Sa’Perah Ah the courage to restate her desire to make Ptolemy her personal bodyguard. He tried to feebly say that the Tyranitar was my property, but of course I was quick to assure him that, for the pharaoh’s wife, I would relinquish my stake in him and as a former fighter of the colosseum, he would make an excelent guard. 
: Sa’Perah then concluded it was settled and instructed Jendayi to take me away so I could be properly dressed for my new vocation.
: I proposed staying in the palace a bit longer, so I could discuss business with the “pharaoh” later, be it about the things I had acquired that would interest him, or about his wife’s new “acquisition” so I could cement more of a origin for Ptolemy that would disassociate him further from Khetmaat. Which all would happen the next day, after which I would leave the city entirely to update Hager and instruct him to look for common work in Aw Ibek so he’d be around for back-up.
: Once I got my position, I protected Sa’Perah Ah with help from Jendayi and Hager’s intel from any attempt against her up until the last attempt of the trial. By that time, Nakht-pa-Aten had finally figured out who I was and had set up a scheme to make me take the fall for the assassination. 
: He planned multiple attacks in the journey towards the trial, which had the purpose of tiring me and the guards out and to divert us away from our planned route to the trial site, leading us through unsafe terrain instead. To do this, his forces created a sandstorm, (he gestures in the air) though nothing compared to what we're dealing with now. It was only meant to disorient us and take away our sight, cause panic and try to separate us in smaller groups that would be easier to take out and using confusion-causing moves to further that effect. Any number of us depending on the success of the first phase would meet a secondary force waiting for us.
: Problem was, Jendayi wasn’t able to tell Ptolemy about these plans in advance; it seems the pharaoh finally caught on that there was a spy within the palace, so instead shared false information about an attack with his council who he most suspected. He spread information that the attack would take place at the Wahdj Oasis, causing Ptolemy to divert the ships to the south once they reached Imi-ib from the visit to the falls down the Ḥ'pī nbt, the new course following the Ḥꜣtj Ḥ'pī towards the first larger settlement to go to land, instead of disembarking on Imi-ib's south eastern shore.
: Which is what he expected I would do. Once we left the settlement, they were soon upon us. If not for Hager's new job, we would have been taken out.
: His new job?
: Turns out when I knocked him out, one of the workers of the bar helped patch him up. You met her actually, though she had to relocate after everything that happened: Midge.
: The Maractus? I did not expect her to be involved.
: Oh she was involved alright- got involved with Hager too, got him a job for starters at the beerhouse in Aw Ibek. Good place for intel: you get your rumors and of course people get pretty loose-lipped with some liquid motivation. 
: Which is how he learned that strange company had appeared in the oasis, some making themselves familiar with the guards but a large part leaving the oasis and heading in the direction of the river. Fortunately for us, despite him having cut ties with me over his anger at me regarding my continued collaboration with Jendayi and the developments between myself and Sa'Perah, he still decided to take action. 
: As Ptolemy had just left for the falls, he sent the swiftest messenger to me at Sety, where me and some of our own forces disguised as my company were planning to head to the trial site should Ptolemy require assistance on his return journey. I decided to trust his intel and diverted my company southwest of the Wahdj Oasis.
: It was good that he did, as our forces were being decimated in the attack; he would not have arrived in time to assist us had he not left immediately. While the sandstorm itself did not bother me, I had gotten separated from most of my forces and I was only able to find Sa'Perah Ah because of the sound of her wings. 
: How did you even find them in that sandstorm, Husani?
: (with a wink) I've got special eyes.
: Thankfully a lot of our own thrive in sandstorms, so we were able to even our odds and re-group. We were victorious. 
: Even more fortunate for us, Hagar had not been idle. He had traveled to the Wahdj oasis where he put the second attack force out of commission by contaminating their water supply.
: He killed them all?
: No, but they were not going to be a problem for us during the mission any more.
: Where had he even gotten the supplies?
: Hager had gathered the needed amount for a different purpose a while back, that's what had caused our falling out. He had learned of the method Midge sometimes used for unruly patrons and wanted to apply it full scale on the palace so I could then easily kill Nakht-pa-Aten and the council and not take the fall for it, unlike my own plan.
: Hager thought it was all taking too long. To him, Sa'Perah Ah deserved the same fate and was especially angered that not only did Ptolemy want to spare her, he didn't want to go with Hager's plan because without him taking responsibility for the pharaoh's death, it could implicate Sa'Perah Ah.
: I see… Even if she was cleared of involvement, some would always remain suspicious. Combine that with her not having completed the trial and she would certainly not be able to become pharaoh. 
: Well, regardless, despite their dispute, Hager took action. We were able to regroup at Wahdj, drag all our incapacitated foes into cells at the fort, and hold the fort while we waited for Ptolemy to return with Sa'Perah Ah after she completed the trial. After that, it was just a matter of getting back to Aw Ibek, which went surprisingly smoothly. We split into two parties, since Ptolemy suspected another attack; he wanted to draw attention away while a small company headed by myself was in charge of taking Sa'Perah to Aw Ibek through the western route.
: Sa'Perah Ah just went along with it?
: She had been made aware of certain things by this point.
: Certain things?
: While this has all been very informative, I'd like to address that later. I need to hear what happens regarding Nakht-pa-Aten' death.
: What, my heroics are not of interest for your correction of the record?
: Oh, I'll make mention of it to some degree, but since I was unable to speak to Jendayi before she left for the palace, some things are still unclear. If Jendayi killed the pharaoh, why did she wait for you to return to do it? If she was going to do it herself, why wait for you?
: She technically didn't wait; I just arrived before they discovered his body, close enough for the council to jump to conclusions. As for why, there was going to be a last ditch effort to keep Sa'Perah Ah from reaching the city, like I expected. However, I made the mistake of thinking I had outsmarted him by splitting up, when that was what he had expected.
: In an effort to appear inconspicuous, my group was small: what you typically expect from a trader moving Midge's cart with not-so-valuable cargo- ... unlike our actual cargo that consisted of a very-cramped Flygon hidden among empty beer barrels. Besides myself, Midge, and Hager, we only had Midge's Camerupt co-worker pulling the cart and a Sandshrew with us. Not equipped to handle an attack in any case.
: An easy mark for Nakht-pa-Aten's hirelings. However, this third attack would have been set into motion by him personally. A convoy would meet my party and escort us back to the palace to await our next orders, stopping me from any attempt to divert to reconvene with Sa'Perah Ah when I became worried by the lack of attack against us. Nakht-pa-Aten would be told of our arrival and call me before him where he would question why I returned without his wife and question me about Sa'Perah Ah's whereabouts. Even though he likely already suspected her general route, I would refuse to give her exact location. 
: He would then have accused me of abducting Sa'Perah Ah, or perhaps even having my people kill her so that I could claim to be innocent. If I would refute him with the fact we were attacked, he'd accuse me of having staged it and reveal how it was only the latest lie in months, revealing I was Onouphrios' son, the one who killed the former pharaoh. Any accusation of his actions I would have made could have been flipped on me; having already proven to be capable of dishonesty, anyone I would try to involve to speak on my behalf I would endanger… I have no doubt I would have stayed silent in hope he wasn't aware of my Seb, or in order to give Baal-hamon time to hide him if he became aware of my arrest instead of asking the priest to testify for me.
: He would then have ordered a search party to intercept Sa'Perah Ah, of course made up of his hirelings ,and blamed the subsequent murder on me and executed me.
: Seems regardless how things would have gone that day, you would have been blamed for a murder you didn't commit. 
: …
: But if he knew who you were, could he not have taken care of you before and make it easier to get rid of Sa'Perah Ah?
: According to Jendayi, she never saw any indication he knew who I was prior to hearing him discuss these plans with that Araquanid. Though it's likely he knew prior to this attempt at the trial, I doubt it he had known it for long.
: It's also possible it wasn't just about making you a scapegoat, as any convenient rebel could have done that. Perhaps if Nakht-pa-Aten was the caliber of strategist he's described as, he had considered the possibility Sa'Perah Ah knew who you were and the two of you could be working together. 
: Why would he even consider that?
: Because it was the truth.
: What??
: The weeks following my assignment as guard, I kept to my tasks, but then Baal-hamon came to remind me Meritites still wished to speak to me. When I got to know Sa'Perah Ah more, I considered the possibility of telling her the truth and having our enemies brought to justice through other means; Meritites and Baal-hamon could confirm my story.
: So… you told her then?
: No, it was a sensitive subject, I was afraid to risk… the success of my mission and the safety of those involved. Even if she'd believe me eventually, if she would initially react emotionally and expose us, it would put everyone at risk.
: Seb did say Sa’Perah Ah eventually figured out his connection to him. When did that happen, if Jendayi nor you told her?
: Despite my best attempt to not interact with Seb, she began to wonder about us. I wasn't aware prior to then that Sa'Perah Ah was so fond of children and would interact frequently with those in the palace. She took notice of the new arrival and was suspicious of a possible connection to me, because of our timing and species. Eventually she was convinced of our relationship and Jendayi advised me that if I wanted to keep my identity secret it would be best to act like my son was my "secret."
: But how did she discover it wasn't, that you were hiding a much larger secret?
: She found who I truly was when Jendayi helped me reclaim my father's sword. Or rather her suspicions were confirmed, as she seemingly had recognized me from our shared past, things I didn't consider or had all but forgotten. She confronted me in the vault and asked if I had only returned to have my pick from the gold and jewels her husband had collected. I told her I only came to this treasury for my father's sword. 
: I doubt she took that well. She must have considered what you were planning to do with it.
: She asked if I came to kill her, to finish my father's job. I told her I wasn't going to kill her any more than my father had hers. She called that a bold claim, seeing as I was holding the murder weapon. If not for Jendayi revealing her presence, I am not sure what would have happened; she confessed her involvement and implored Sa'Perah Ah to come to Baal-hamon's quarters and just listen to what we had to say.
: Suffice to say you were not arrested at that time, so she believed you?
: She asked for some time, spoke with Meritites and Baal-hamon in private… but eventually yes, she did. However, she implored myself and Jendayi that we would not go after the pharaoh's life. 
: So she didn't fully believe you about him?
: That wasn't the problem. Remember that Sa'Perah Ah had been forced to marry him and had to live with this man; she detested him already for many reasons of her own. If anything, she could feel validated of that hatred- that he wasn't for the good of the kingdom, she wasn't betraying her father's legacy, being a bad or weak queen, any of the reasons that man had used against her.
: No, her motivations were different. She didn't want any of us to take the fall and moreover she wanted to handle it herself: revenge, wanting to prove herself, whatever you might interpret it as. She was right either way, that it would be easier to have everyone believe the story if they didn't kill the culprit without giving him a chance to refute it. She was confident however that if she could only conquer the trial and gain Mesprit's blessing, she would gain the leverage needed for her to be heard over whatever lies and excuses he could make. So I was to continue to protect her as she was more determined than ever to succeed in this next attempt. 
: Meanwhile, I was to relay orders to our people to gather evidence and map out all of his current shady business, as it was much easier to do so as traders. Thus, my company grew in size exponentially. 
: But that still doesn't explain why Nakht-pa-Aten would suspect you two were together.
: He could have for many reasons, such as how she just happened to be rescued by Ptolemy and so quick to accept an unknown entity as a personal guard. Or how about a change in Sa'Perah Ah's demeanor to being less meek and obedient, thus becoming harder to control and quicker to oppose him-
: How the two of you never were far apart even in your free time~
: -Such things could have led to him investigating Ptolemy until he eventually found the truth.
: And if Ptolemy had certain information about his deeds and perhaps even proof of it and had shared this with Sa'Perah Ah… Trying to arrest Ptolemy prematurely could have caused all of it to come to light through Sa'Perah Ah, who would be much harder to silence while she still lived.
: So getting rid of them both in a similar manner to what he had done to Akhen-Aton was the best way to wrap up loose ends…
: But that didn't happen. Because of Jendayi's sacrifice, our "visitors" never arrived, because when they went to alert Nakht-pa-Aten of Ptolemy's arrival, he was already dead. Until recently, we thought one of his council members must have done it. But it seems Jendayi had procured some of Midge's drugs and slipped some in his drink that evening then killed him in his own bed; unfortunately she had not accounted for that Samudaay concubine- ... or well, I suppose perhaps who he planned as his new wife, to show up.
: When we returned to Aw Ibek, Sa'Perah Ah went to the palace escorted by her guards and Baal-hamon. I joined Hager and Midge planning to get some well-deserved drinks with our other people at the beerhouse, only to be met by Meritites and Seb, saying Nakht-pa-Aten was dead and Ptolemy had been arrested. Even though only Sa'Perah Ah had seen Midge and only our own rebels knew of Hager's alliances, or that the traders that helped them were actually rebels, Hager still didn't want to risk Sa'Perah Ah turning on us, especially as at this point we assumed Ptolemy had in fact killed him. So rounding up our forces and with Midge, Meritites, and Seb in tow, we turned around and made our way to Herep-inet where Meritites's daughter lived with her parents.
Husani then turns towards Ptolemy who had gone suspiciously silent. The Tyranitar seems reluctant to continue the story, a strange light glimmering in his eyes… but it soon hardens into determination and he begins to speak in a low voice.
: Sa'Perah Ah believed I had done it and she stood before me with a face of stone as she visited my cell. Never raising her voice, she explained how she now saw that my plan to split up wasn't for her sake, but to give me time to kill Nakht-pa-Aten before she arrived. I had seemingly taken matters into my own hands instead of letting her handle it, now that she had the Crest of Mesprit and could claim her birthright and seize control as pharaoh. She could have exposed all the conspirators like we planned, but now she would be forced to do what she was required to do… 
: Of course you tried to defend yourself? 
: Ah- oh, no... here we go again…
: Of course I did! I told her that I hadn't lied to her, nor had I killed Nakht-pa-Aten- that we agreed assassination would be unnecessary as we could execute him based on what we knew. 
: She said it would be hard to get anyone to listen when my key witness had disappeared, alongside my son - nor had the guards found my trader friend with the information he supposedly had gathered. She wondered if I lied about going along with her plans only to betray her- if it was just a show of a lack of trust in her, or if it showed something much more severe, that I had been untruthful in many other aspects too. That the reason I killed him was because I knew the evidence wouldn't hold up and had removed all my pawns from play when I no longer needed them to trick her. 
: I told her Baal-hamon was still here, that he believed me. She said he just wanted to because of his close friendship to both our families; Baal-hamon had always been in denial of my father's guilt and now undoubtedly of my own. I then pleaded it wouldn't make sense for me to have killed him personally, because then I would always end up here, facing her…
He pauses again, looking pointedly at Alaric as if daring him to say something. When the snake says nothing, he heaves another deep breath and continues.
: She wondered if I had hoped she was still too weak-hearted or too infatuated with myself that she'd release me and back my story - or that I simply planned to get rid of her too. But then I had made a grand mistake of allowing her to prove to herself that she was strong and worthy of her father's title.
: I asked her to consider everything that had happened out in the desert. She reminded me it could have easily been staged: how I just happened to have rescued her from that first attempt on her life at Khesbed Falls months ago and how quickly help arrived when an unseen enemy in a sudden sandstorm took out all the guards. Not to mention how her guards in the Wahdj Oasis just allegedly happened to be replaced by traitors, and if not for my ally knocking them all out, they would have killed us- ... but of course, they could not defend themselves from those accusations.
: I told her I helped her complete the trial so that she could rule, but she interrupted me, corrected me but saying "so we could". That somewhere along the lines, I had seen the opportunity for power like I accused Nakht-pa-Aten of, but that he stood in the way. I told her she was delirious, it wouldn't make sense if I was this great mastermind only to mess it up at the last moment, so I begged her to speak with Jendayi again…
: That had been the wrong thing to say.
: Her face broke out in an anger worse than what I had ever seen on her. She all but roared at me that she didn't know what I had done to buy her loyalty, or if I had planted her years ago to begin with, or perhaps she had been working for me from the very beginning, but there were no more pawns to help their toppled king. She told me she would not allow her emotions to be played against her and her people ever again, that she would never allow betrayal such as this to catch her unaware again… and she left without another word or listening to mine.
: Afterwards, Baal-hamon brought me the key through the secret passage; he couldn't assist me further as he couldn't leave his workplace through more conventional means. He also advised me not to use the passages, as Sa'Perah Ah was aware of them so undoubtedly had guards stationed in the areas they led to.
: But could you not have tried again, once the dust had settled, before trying to escape? You'd only look more guilty by fleeing. Sa'Perah Ah might have believed you eventually-
: Perhaps she would have, perhaps not - but that's not what happened, Alaric, no use in wondering about it now.
Alaric opens his mouth to retort but instead holds his tongue, mind whirling with new revelations and looking at Ptolemy with opened eyes. Ptolemy, for his part, merely gritted his teeth and went on with his story.
: Unlike my father, I did have guards to deal with… While I was fully expecting to have to fight my way out or die trying, it seems I had made more allies than I was aware of. A couple of the guards I had worked with during my time in the palace and that had been with me on the mission believed I was innocent… Some of them even suspected Sa'Perah Ah might have even been responsible for the murder somehow. So, my escape went off without too much of a hitch, thanks to their assistance.
: I honestly was surprised when Ptolemy showed up at Jrt Nswt a couple days later. I told him to go to the Qenyt oasis and from there make true on his “backstory” and go to Voluntas. He would have been smart to follow my advice, but alas, he wanted to see how Sa’Perah Ah actually fared in taking care of everything: getting rid of the council and their corruption, redistributing resources, cutting alliances with certain nations, reviving others.
: I wanted to have some of us still assist if the nation were to have some dealings with less savory folks. Over time, things just fell apart: a lot of our people went their own way and, well, we don’t actually know how Nakht-pa-Aten was brought back. We don’t even know when exactly, as we didn’t know he was involved with the creation of the Claws of Ammut; we still don’t know if he was there from the start or just capitalized on the opportunity…
: We know that Baal-hamon did not provide the funeral rights for Nakht-pa-Aten, as he was for all intent and purposes under scrutiny from Sa’Perah Ah. While Sa’Perah Ah had booted the entire council because she didn’t know who was or wasn’t part of everything that had happened, some did linger in Khetmaat; it is possible that they initially started the movement, but he is certainly in charge of it now. 
: Perhaps we will find those answers after we have dealt with Nakht-pa-Aten’s spirit.
: Our hope is that if we reveal who has been the one giving orders, that many of our former members will at least return to our side - and without these cursed spirits that have invaded the desert, that would certainly even the odds even if the rest of the Claws of Ammut still rally behind others. 
: Especially if you work together with Sa’Perah Ah to take care of the stragglers. 
: …
: I admire your optimism, Alaric, but if you still think she would trust us after everything we told you, you really are a lost cause and I’ve just wasted a lot of my precious time.
: Well, I for one want to thank both you and Ptolemy for all this information, but I would also like to excuse myself so that I can combine it with my own notes and make a record of it. In fact, if there is a trader around all these rebels, I hope he can provide me with some materials to do so. I don’t think my own journal would be the proper place for it if I plan to bring it forward to Sa’Perah Ah once this is all over.
: You are as foolishly optimistic as him if you think it’ll do anything at this point - BUT I do happen to know a trader around this rebel who would be willing to cut you a good deal.
: Marvelous, then, with your permission, Alaric, Ptolemy.
Matteo inclines his head and follows Husani out of the room, the Krokorok already chattering about rare kinds of paper and ink and how he’s acquired them and how it was very hard and certainly worth quite a substantial amount but of course he’d give his good friend a hearty discount if he’d include ALL his heroics in the record. Alaric watches him go before turning to the silent Tyranitar leader.
: I think Sa’Perah Ah might surprise you.
: What?
: I think once Jendayi has explained the situation to her, she’d already think differently about you. But beyond that, I believe if you had stayed at that time, I am all but certain she would not have executed you, but you didn’t give her time to process her feelings.
: It wouldn’t have mattered then. Not even if I had approached her any moment after up till now.
: How can you know that? She doesn’t even know you are still alive! Seb, and even Husani, and you yourself in your retelling of what happened, implied that the two of you were-
: King Alaric, I have indulged your quest for answers about me and I did so to be assured of better cooperation between our two groups. However, at no point in time have I indicated I am in need of your advice. 
: But I-!
: I assure you, I will honor my word and see to it that you will be brought to the library afterwards. I hope that what I told you has given you enough trust in my word and my honor; if not, there is nothing more that I can offer you. 
: Now, I advise we move on from here. I need to check over final preperations one last time and you need to be ready to see your forces off. So spare your consult for them, if anyone.
: …
: As you wish.
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