#{ for the empire } ᵐᵃⁱⁿ ᵛᵉʳˢᵉ

[tarnishedxknight]

“My dear knight, please take off your helm so I may look at you.” (For Noah)

Noah scarcely understood what Emperor Gramis wanted with the sorceress, or why he had invited her to take up residence inside the palace proper. Divination, the stars, seeing into the future... Noah had no need of it. He placed his faith and trust in his own ability and determination. Fate, destiny, and luck... were only illusions. Men forged their own paths in life. No amount of telling him otherwise was going to keep him from working towards the goals he'd set for himself, not even an oracle.

Nevertheless, Gramis believed in her. So much so, in fact, that he had placed her protection and integration into palace life in Gabranth's care. While he was honored to be granted such prestigious duties, he also silently did not want them. Never would he voice that to Gramis, however.

The Mist inside him from his nethicite poisoning stirred noticeably every time he was around her, clearly affected by whatever power it was that she wielded. Wanda was her name. Gabranth had to admit she was beautiful, but that did not matter. He was only there to protect her as she got settled into palace life, to answer her questions, and to arrange for anything she might need for her craft.

Surely she must have known that people did not simply ask a Judge Magister to remove his or her helm. It just was not done. Then again, for someone possessed of power such as hers, Wanda likely thought she could say and do whatever she pleased. Noah grit his teeth a little, displeased with the sudden exposure of his face as he slipped off his helm and held it under his left arm.

"Apologies, Lady Maximoff. Judge Magisters typically wear their helms at all hours," he explained, in case she truly did not know. He had to keep her happy, though, or else whatever Gramis needed her for might suffer. "I meant no offense," he said finally, trying his best to be diplomatic and polite.

[tarnishedxknight]

New Blood, Old Name || closed reply

{ @disillusionedjudge, cont'd. from here. }

The appointing of any new Judge Magister was cause for extreme caution in Gabranth's eyes, but this appointment had been... unconventional to say the least. Although it was not unusual for the title to be passed down in a family, House Ynarra had already had two Judge Magisters existing at the same time, until quite recently, in fact. And now they had a third. Though, perhaps that wasn't entirely accurate, for the first two were no longer holding the title... on account of them being deceased.

The circumstances of this succession... troubled Gabranth with something upon which he could not quite place his finger, but that wasn't why he was here. Fairly certain that, if there was any foul play afoot, it was localized to the toxic dynamics of House Ynarra alone, his interests now lay in assessing just how much of a problem the newest Judge Ynarra was going to pose him... and Lord Larsa. The rift within House Solidor grew ever deeper by the moment. Soon it would split asunder. His job, his duty, his word given to Gramis, his desire as Judge Magister, and his desire... as a father... was to protect Larsa and make certain he would be the one to ultimately sit upon the throne of the Empire.

Few Judge Magisters were awake at such an hour besides Gabranth. Actually, none were, save for if Bergan was agitated enough by nethicite-induced mania to not even know what time it was. Gabranth, however, in addition to a slew of other reputations, was known for being a night owl. Even his beloved Drace was asleep by this time, though she would rise a few hours earlier than he in the morn. But he had noticed... that this new Judge Ynarra also burned the midnight oil in pursuit of her duties.

He slowed his footsteps as he approached the door to her office - well it was hers now, was it not? - so that she would not have warning as to who was at her door. Gabranth wanted to catch her as unawares as possible, to ensure that her reactions and answers were as truthful as they might be from someone not expecting to be approached at this time. Upon knocking and being invited in, however reluctantly, Gabranth opened the door, let himself in, and closed it behind him. Now in private with her, and seeing that she was without her own helm, he played the game of courtesy and making himself appear more unguarded than he actually was by removing his own helm. He tucked it under his right arm with a well-practiced motion.

"Good evening, Judge Ynarra," he said with a respectful nod. His expression was polite enough but by no means smiling. Professional, yet with that certain aloof, nearly-regal quality that set him apart from others of his rank. At least, in public. Behind closed doors, well... no one but Drace was privy to that study in how emotional damage and trauma broke a man down. Here, he was calm, collected, and certainly calculating. And he knew... knew... that she would do well to entertain him with respect and as much of her time as he wished, for despite being a Judge Magister, one as new and young as she still had to bow to the unspoken leader of her rank.

"I have come to extend my personal congratulations to you on your ascension to the esteemed rank we now both share," he said, casually looking around what was once her father's and brother's office. "Forgive my tardiness in doing so. I was away, tending to important matters, when first you were appointed." And I was watching you closely. "I am certain that Dalmasca will become a truly indispensable asset to the Empire with you at the helm of commerce."

Ah. There. Now. With those required pleasantries and a benign lead-in to his true reasons for being here out of the way, Gabranth moved in to strike. "You must be both excited and honored to be working with His Lordship so closely," he said. After a moment, his gaze stopped looking idly around at met hers. "...with... bringing the Kingdom of Dalmasca to heel under Imperial rule being Lord Vayne's... pet project, after all."

And now, a study. Of her facial expression. Her body language. Her breathing. Even how quickly and how many times she blinked. All pieces to a puzzle he was seeking to complete as quickly as possible and with the greatest of urgency felt. Was she... loyal to Vayne and to the cruelty and violence that had become House Solidor's calling card? Or was there... a crack to be found here? A deviation from the norm of House Takrin that might indicate that the reason this Ynarra was now Judge Magister may be because she had not agreed with her father and brother... or with Vayne...?

Was she... a potential ally to him, and to Larsa? Or was she to be kept even closer than that... as close as enemies ought to be?

[tarnishedxknight]

Despite his courage, Larsa was fighting with himself to not mumble. "Erm... I do understand the concept of a percentage... But as soon as it is applied to numbers not of 100... I am afraid I can't picture them in my head..." He showed Gabranth the paper where he was tasked with determining 24% of 387. "I... Is there a formula for this I can remember instead?"

Gabranth smiled underneath his helm. "Alas, there is not, my lord. You must simply perform the calculation each time. The word 'percent' literally means 'per every cent,' with 'cent' meaning 'one hundred.' One... out of every hundred. So to calculate 24% of 387, you must take 24 to the hundreth place and apply it to 387." He rose from his desk once more, taking a scrap of paper with him. Using the boy's writing implement, he wrote 0.24 x 387 on it. "The decimal accounts for the percentage, to the hundreth or second place past the decimal point. So if you multiply 0.24 by 387, the resulting number will be 24% of 387. But that you must do on your own."

[tarnishedxknight]

The Oddest of Visitations || closed with mxrvelouscreations

{ @mxrvelouscreations, for Leah }

Gabranth's pace was quick and purposeful as he made his way from the palace out into the Imperial City of Archades proper. His attempts to dismiss being summoned to deal with a merchant's complaint were met with pushback by a simple imperial guardsman, which had Noah bewildered. Other Judges handled dealings within the capital, not him. Not... unless it was warranted that a Judge from Archadia's spy division attend to it, which he was assured it was. He would not go without explanation, however, for he was much too busy to deal with idle complaints.

Gramis' throne was barely cold and yet Vayne sat upon it, with order among the rank of Judge Magister being held only by the spilling of Drace's blood. Gabranth had not the time to fully process the emperor's death or Drace's - and his own feelings regarding them both - or how his vast network of information had failed him so gravely as to miss Vayne moving into position far earlier than expected. This assassination attempt should have been prevented, and the fact that it had not... had cast doubt on Gabranth's efficacy as head of the 9th Bureau. Still, he held onto his power and authority... for now.

And then there was Basch, and the surprisingly resilient Princess of Dalmasca. Gabranth needed to know where they both were, and quickly, and needed to manage the mess he'd helped Vayne create in Dalmasca. If the princess intended to wage war on the empire, then it was his duty to assassinate her as he had her father. It was a lot to balance within one tired and tortured mind, perhaps too much for him to deal with all at once, and yet he'd been doing his best. And now... this.

Apparently, an odd woman had been seen in one of the markets. She was strangely dressed, with a foreign accent, and seemed to be very much disoriented as to where she was. Whether or not her confusion was an act remained to be seen, but whispers of Rozarrian spies were circulating and had been for years now. The arrival of this woman only served to stir them up again. A merchant had reported the woman wandering the market and alerted the imperial guard. Given the nature of the report, Gabranth was requested to investigate further.

His heavily armored footsteps struck the cobblestone streets of Archades loudly, and people made way for him wherever he tread. They got out of his way, greeted him respectfully, and then whispered as he passed, speculating on the reason for his presence. There were always those who loved to gossip about what crime had been committed each time a Judge Magister was sighted. Gabranth was thankful for his helm, for it meant he did not have to smile, nod, or make eye contact with any passersby. He was in no mood to be cordially social.

As he neared the location, he took in the sights around him. If this was part of some Rozarrian ruse, the woman may be a diversion of some kind. He kept his eyes peeled for anything that seemed out of place, but right now, his instincts were telling him that nothing was amiss. At least, until he saw the woman. Her clothes were definitely odd, as was her hairstyle, but as he viewed her, Gabranth's frustration and brewing anger at the situation ebbed away into nothing. She looked... scared, and genuinely confused.

"Your honor," the merchant and the pair of imperial guards who were with the woman greeted him simultaneously.

"Thank you for your reports," Gabranth said with authority, once again thankful for his helm as he continued to look the woman over. "I shall take things over from here."

"Yes, your honor," the guards said, leaving to continue their rounds of the city. The merchant, however, remained. He was much too interested in what would be said, being an old man whose life was not nearly as interesting or exciting as he wished it to be.

Gabranth's helm turned slowly in the merchant's direction. "That is all," he said firmly, saying without saying that the rest did not concern him.

"Oh, y-yes, your honor," he said, disappointed but unwilling to cross the imposing Judge Magister. He finally hobbled off, back to his wares which his wife was struggling to manage by herself.

"What is your name, miss?" Gabranth asked, his arms resting casually over Chaos Blade and Highway Star's hilts, starting off with introductions to get her to talk a little. The more people talked, the more they revealed about themselves. Even the best-trained spies made mistakes if one kept them talking long enough. "What business do you have here in our imperial capital?" His tone was not exactly friendly, but neither was it accusing or mean. For now, this was just a simple questioning to determine intent... and to discover the reason for the woman's oddness.

[tarnishedxknight]

Larsa blinked in surprise when the Judge started explaining the difference to him. So surprised he almost missed an explanation, his young mind baffled by the fact that important work was set aside so such a simple question could be answered in full. "Oh... Oh, thank you, your Honour, it truly is clear to me now." And because he wished to see if maybe this was but a fluke, he asked yet another question. "As someone who deals with the law on a daily basis, have you ever encountered people who have done good things yet were punished for them?" It was connected to the story, yes, but Larsa wanted Gabranth to keep talking.

@tarnishedxjudgement

Having sheathed and/or replaced all daggers and knives back i their places on his belt or on his desk, Gabranth leaned back against the front of his desk, half-sitting, casually folding his arms inasmuch as he could in armor.

"Mm-hmm, I have. Often, unfortunately. Laws are in place for a reason, my lord. Although there may be rare exceptions on occasion, citizens of the empire are all held to the same standard. They are all subject to the same laws. To exonerate some for doing good things, as you say, while condemning others for doing bad things would be a double standard. It would not be fair. For who is to say where that line between good and bad truly lies? It is subjective. Subject... to opinion. Open to interpretation. Therefore, emotion and subjectivity must not enter into the ruling of whether or not a law has been broken. Sentencing... is where a Judge can be more lenient or not if he or she feels that is warranted. But a crime is a crime, regardless of why it was committed."

There was a pause, and then the horned helm canted slightly. "Why do you ask, my lord?" Was there a greater question or problem at play here, or was the boy merely curious...?

[tarnishedxknight]

"Drace? Do you have a moment? I... I need to talk to you."

(( @disillusionedjudge for Drace! She has a plethora of issues, so take your pick of what she wants to talk to her about fdshgkfdj - or I can figure it out later lol, and I'm good for whatever verse!))

{ @disillusionedjudge | Oooh, she does have so many good issues to discuss, heh. Maybe she decides to confide in Drace about what's been going on with Vayne? Or, in an AU where Drace isn't executed (maybe Vayne only threatens her or she doesn't quite go as far as to accuse him), maybe she feels she needs to confess to someone that she was the one who killed her father? Or did you change that part of her background, I forget now heh. Well, something from that time maybe. Or, if you want to go with something on my end, maybe Gylfie wants to bring to her attention Gabranth's increasing mental instability? Maybe she saw something while they were out trying to find Larsa and it worried her? Also in an AU where she isn't executed, I realize. I'm good with whatever, though! There are so many interesting/important conversations they could have! }

Drace was at her desk, attempting to get some work done despite the tensions of the day, when Gylfie came to her office. It was not entirely unusual for her to walk in and request a word, but as Drace looked up from her paperwork with a friendly, "For you, Ynarra? Always," she was taken aback by the look on her mentee's face. Clearly something was wrong, and it was something of import. Rising from her desk, she moved around to more comfortable chairs, arranged in a manner so as to facilitate conversation. "Come. Have a seat," she said, taking one herself. "Alright. What is on your mind?" she asked as she gave Gylfie her undivided attention."

[tarnishedxknight]

Drace and Gabranth, were you aware Silas was plotting to kill Larsa? Were you aware that Gylfie knew about it?

(( @disillusionedjudge ))

@disillusionedjudge

Drace: "Nay, we knew not of any plot to-"

Gabranth: "I had my suspicions."

Drace: "You what?"

Gabranth: "Some of his behavior was questionable beforehand."

Drace: "And you did nothing? You did not deem is prudent to inform me?"

Gabranth: "And tip my hand?" *shakes his head*

Drace: "But the young lord's life could have been-"

Gabranth: "I would not have allowed that to happen."

Drace: "And I suppose you told Ynarra about it..."

Gabranth: "No. That came as a surprise."

Drace: *groans and pinches the bridge of her nose*

Gabranth: "I have everything under control."

Drace: "That is what concerns me."

[tarnishedxknight]

Drace and Gabranth, what are your thoughts on Zargabaath?

(( @lightinxthedark ))

@lightinxthedark

Drace: "I have always respected the man and found him to be very practical and honorable with regard to his decision-making. We are all of us in this rank very opinionated, very different, and very fractured. Politically and strategically, we tend to agree on exactly nothing. Zargabaath has always tried to bring opposing sides to the negotiation table. He has always attempted to find that prudent medium between staunch conservatism and more extremist views. I truly commend him for that. Like any of us, he makes mistakes and sometimes falters under pressure from the throne, but he, more than most, has tried to foster a solidarity of function among our rank, if not one of mindset."

Gabranth: *shifts in his seat, arrogantly manspreading* "The man is painfully bland and dry as a desiccated piece of fruit. Anciently preserved and devoid of flavor is his personality."

Drace: "Gabranth..." *gives him a look*

Gabranth: *smirks a little but then tries to answer seriously* "What you say has merit, and I cannot say I do not agree. However, I would deem it necessary to say that he is too accommodating at times. Too pleasing. Too peace-making. Sometimes he lets diplomacy stunt his strategy, and decorum thwart his common sense. I agree with your words, Drace, but I would add some amount of caution that Zargabaath seems to be more loyal to loyalty and more lawful with regard to lawfulness than his eyes are open to potential treachery. What is right to him always seems to include the letter of the law and nothing else, not what must be done for the greater good and stability of the empire."

Drace: *seriously considers his words in silence for a while* "Aye, you know what? I agree. There are times where he chooses lawfulness over goodness. Tradition over prudence. Though I would clarify that by saying his intentions are good, and his intentions always lie with the safety and continuance of the empire."

Gabranth: "They do. But what he thinks fosters such safety and continuance may not be so. He believes tradition and upholding the law to its letter will result in all working out for the best. As a Judge of the law, I am both hesitant and reticent to discuss how breaking said laws is oft beneficial. However, there are times when it is the right thing to do. Zargabaath, in my observation, either does not recognize such times, or he refuses to acknowledge them when they arise. Either way, his rigidity is a weakness and a liability."

Drace: "Perhaps." *thinks for a moment and then sighs* "Mayhap we leave it there."

Gabranth: *nods*

[tarnishedxknight]

"Gabranth! Just the Judge I needed to see."

Without her armor, her steps had been silent - her presence unannounced by the rattling and clanking of steel. Gylfie looked - and felt - far smaller without it, but she still held her head high, and lost none of the authoritative air she carried without it. What she so faithfully wore like the other Judge Magisters had been left in Archadia when she had gone on her self-given and secretive mission to Bhujerba, and what she needed to discuss with Gabranth had offered no time to don it before she tracked him down. So be it if it was seen as unprofessional - keeping under Ghis's radar had been far more important.

She slowed as she reached the other Judge Magister, and tilted her head. Her expression unreadable. "Could you come with me to my office? There is... an urgent matter I wish to discuss with you privately."

(( @disillusionedjudge in Gylfie's corruption/judge magister au!))

@disillusionedjudge

Gabranth felt himself cringe underneath his armor the moment he heard her voice, but fortunately it did not show outwardly. He bore no love for House Ynarra, though perhaps Gylfie was the most tolerable of the three. As of now, she was the only one of her name left in the military, after the untimely if not also curious deaths of both her father and brother in such quick succession. That did not mean he appreciated being accosted, however, though that was true for him of all Judge Magisters, save for Drace.

He turned to face her, glad for his helm as she summoned him to her office for an urgent matter. What urgent matter? Were it that urgent, his spies would already know about it. Or at least, they should.

"And I've my own urgent business to attend to, Judge Ynarra," he said rather dismissively. It was a posturing move, nothing more. An indication that, no, he would not jump at every request put forth to him. He was not the unofficial leader of their rank because he acquiesced without hesitation to the requests of any and all who confronted him with them, after all.

It had served its purpose, however, and now the reality of business was still laid out before him. The truth of it was... that he ought not to ignore an urgent summons by a fellow Judge Magister, no matter how inconvenient it may be. "...and so it had better be a quick matter," he finally added in a circuitous acceptance of her request to him. With that, he began walking to her office, not waiting for her to lead the way.

[tarnishedxknight]

Gods above, how could she have been so blind?

Although she kept her chin up and herself steady, Gylfie felt anything but, and she couldn't shake the growing sense of guilt as she neared Drace's office. Was Drace upset with her? Maybe. Probably. Gylfie couldn't blame her if she was, nor did... she really care. It would be deserved, in the very least, for how much she had hurt Myriel, and it would only be fair, given how protective Drace was of her siblings. Gylfie knew this. And she...

She had never been more grateful for her helm. She could hardly hold back her tears as her heart felt as though it were breaking all over again. How could she not have seen how much Myriel had been hurting? How could she have made her feel like she couldn't talk to her about how she felt? She had-- No, she... she still loved her, if she were honest with herself, and now...

As much as she trusted Drace to separate her personal life from her professional, Gylfie knew this meeting was not for professional matters. She could only hope she could keep herself together - gods knew Drace didn't need to deal with her falling apart, despite how desperately Gylfie needed someone to talk to. She would manage her own hurt just fine. She just... hoped Drace would understand she had never meant to hurt Myriel the way she had.

And with a deep breath, Gylfie knocked on the door to Drace's office. "Drace?" she called. "You wanted to see me?"

(( @disillusionedjudge - I know I said I didn't want to do this au because I thought it would be awkward, but it's growing on me and I'm curious x'D I'll probably revisit my answer to it after work later now that I know they were thinking of your Drace lol))

{ @disillusionedjudge | Haha, I know right? At first I was like oof, maybe not, heh, but then it kindof grew on me too. I think it'll still be awkward, lol, but that's part of the fun, right? XD }

Drace felt so badly for her little sister, but also for Gylfie as well. She could see the love blossom between them as their relationship progressed and was happy for them, but... sometimes... love simply isn't enough. Life had a way of complicating matters to such a degree that love could not overcome, and for Gylfie and Myriel, it seemed as if exactly that had occurred.

She had already spoken to Myriel, giving her a shoulder to cry on while also explaining a bit about Gylfie's mindset from the point of view of another career soldier. It was not just a job. Not to Drace, and obviously not to Gylfie either. It was more of a calling, something that was a part of each woman's identity, and at least from that perspective, Drace was able to explain a bit to Myriel. It was not that Gylfie did not love her or consider their relationship important, it was that, as long as Gylfie was capable of being a soldier, there would always be more than one importance force in her life.

Now... she wished to speak with Gylfie. If this separation was truly the end for them, then so be it. Far be it from her to tell others how they should conduct themselves in their personal lives. Goodness knew her relationship with Gabranth was anything but normal or traditional. But it worked for them. And if this no longer worked for Myriel or Gylfie, then perhaps it was for the best. Drace only wished for both of them to take a breath and think for a moment. To set anger, sadness, and affront aside and think. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, one made the wrong decisions that could affect one for a lifetime. She just wanted to make sure that this decision for them... was the right one.

"Aye, you may enter," she called, not bothering to replace her helm where she sat at her desk. She needed it not to speak with Gylfie. Even so, she was not at all surprised to see Gylfie donning her helm, and if she chose to keep it on, Drace would not take offense. Not... under the circumstances. She set aside her work as Gylfie entered, rising from her seat and coming around to lean against the front of her desk as she regarded the young Judge.

A motherly smile came to her lips. "How are you holding up?" The answer to that was perhaps obvious, but there were few other ways to begin this conversation. "I am very sorry for how things transpired between you and Myriel, and I would like to talk about it, just a bit," she said gently. "But first... I do want for you to know one thing. This changes naught with regard to our friendship or professional relationship, with my sponsoring of you, or with any considerations for your promotion to Judge Magister in the future. I am not so petty as to dismiss you professionally because you and my sister did not endure on a personal level. Your sponsorship and the rapport we have with each other will remain unaffected. Please know that."

"With that said... I do not wish to pry into your personal affairs, yours or Myriel's. However, I simply wish to ask you... if this is truly what you want. This." She gestured around her office. "Is this life... worth losing Myriel to you? 'Tis alright if it is, and believe me I more than understand the mindset, but I ask because... sometimes in the moment, we believe we know what we want, only to realize later on that we might have decided differently, knowing what we know now. Ask yourself, are your ambitions truly what you want to place the majority of your heart and effort into? Can you be happy that way? If so, then it appears it is for the best. But if not..."

Drace sighed and looked at Gylfie with a soft gaze. "Take the time to be absolutely certain that you are being true to yourself, whatever the answer may be. That is all the advice I wish to impart to you. Know that I am here for you, if you ever need to talk about anything. Aye?" she said.

[tarnishedxknight]

Father issues huh? Okay, then. Noah, what if you give Larsa father issues :)

Noah tried unsuccessfully to hide the emotion in his gaze, though he did not speak or react at first beyond a slight movement of his throat. A hard was forced down, as if her were swallowing the truth he feared the most. It was a jagged pill, to be sure. He was careful not to speak until he could do so without sounding too vulnerable.

"Lord Larsa does not know me as his father, so I can only damage him in the capacity of a mentor. Perhaps that will save him, never knowing the truth of who sired him. If I fall short of my duties to him, if I fail him, it will be as a guardian and not a father. Failure cuts deeper when it comes from a father... I ought to know. The wounds bleed more, fester more quickly, heal less smoothly. Gods be kind to the boy, he will not have so much faith in his guardian that my failures will damage him so."

[tarnishedxknight]

For muses with father issues - You are such a disappointment Noah. How could you not be like Basch? You’re not a real man

"Yes... well..." Noah said with a cynical smile. "Basch... abandoned kin and homeland... for the sake of his own selfish pride. I do not want to be like Basch... and if being a real man means sleeping well each night while forsaking all but one's own ego, then I am glad not to be one."

[tarnishedxknight]

Luciana wasn’t the type to get cold feet. She was loyal to a fault, actually, and she always looked on the bright side, even when there was none. It was a large part of the reason people thought she was just another dumb blonde, yet… maybe they were right this time. How had she not realized sooner that Everard was hurting her? He could never truly love her, and although she loved a lot of things she didn’t trust, Luciana could never love someone who she was terrified of.

So, when he’d lifted her veil at their wedding, she’d let out a horrified gasp. It was as if she was seeing him through completely new eyes; his sharp teeth, those cruel eyes. He appeared much more like a wolf than a man to her, so when the priest had asked her to say ‘I do’, she grabbed her skirts and ran as far as she could.

Her red lipstick was smeared, her mascara was running, but she didn’t stop until she was as far as she could be. Night had fallen, and the trees cast ominous shadows across everything. The world was dark, and she sat down in the dirt. The white dress was ruined, and that was when she really started to cry. How could she have been so stupid? He’d been hurting her, she knew that, but… she had people counting on her. It was better if she took the brunt of his anger, she’d thought. But she was a fragile, delicate woman, and her heart could only withstand so much.

When Luciana heard footsteps and the crunching of the leaves, she turned to run again. The howling of the wolves, whispering of the trees, and mysterious atmosphere contributed to her dread. Something was seriously wrong here. She had to get away. She had to run away.

“Who goes there?” she called. When she heard the familiar voice, she turned around. Luciana was rather short for a woman, but she looked even smaller compared to the Judge Magister’s armor. She cowered in fear, even though she knew they weren’t there to hurt her. Her heart raced, and she trembled in fear. The rumblings of panic bit her throat, and her vision blurred. She couldn’t see. Couldn’t breathe. “No. No. Stop it! You can’t make me go back there, I won’t go back there, please, please, please. I won’t do it, you can’t make me! I refuse! I can’t take it anymore! He hurts me when he loves me, and if I go back, going to hurt me, he’s going to try something, I just know it, and I am with child, and I-“

Luciana broke down sobbing. She sank down into the dirt, hoping the earth would ground her. She curled up into a ball. Her desire to get up was low, though she shivered and howled her agonizing cries. Her white dress, which was borrowed from her mother and simplistic as they came, had been torn, and she was bleeding a bit at the legs. She no longer wore her veil, and her blonde hair was a ratty mess.

“Please… I beg you. D-don’t make me do t-this.”

{for either Drace or Gabranth!}

__________

{ Or a little of both, kindof? XD }

Word of Luciana’s and Everard’s almost-marriage quickly reached Judge Magisters Gabranth and Drace. The sprawling information network Gabranth had built to support his reconnaissance for the Empire also came in handy for any number of other things, in this case, reporting that Luciana had run off before the marriage ceremony could be completed.

Gabranth cared for Luciana, but she insisted on staying with Everard, despite that the man was clearly abusive. Drace found that frustrating, but she could see that Gabranth had been very much affected by her. Everard’s insistence at a promotion and insinuation that he could make life difficult for the Judge Magisters if they didn’t give him what he felt he was entitled to didn’t help matter at all. Of course it was all ludicrous. Everard could do nothing to harm them, or so Judge Drace thought, but all of this weighed heavily on Gabranth.

Upon hearing the news, Gabranth had personally asked Drace to search for Luciana. He could not do so himself, for the optics of it would certainly make things messy within the palace, but he trusted Drace to do so for him. Above all, he’d said, she must be found before Everard or anyone loyal to him could do so. Fortunately, or sadly, Luciana had run herself into the woods where she was not so easily tracked. While she was searched for throughout Archades by soldiers and others Everard knew, Drace had followed the signs of the distraught woman elsewhere. A bit of cloth here, a few drops of blood there... Drace was a rather good detective.

By the time she found Luciana, the poor woman was in a terrible state. Before Drace could get a word in edgewise, Luciana flung into begging and sobbing and the revelation that she was pregnant. It was a lot for Drace to take in, but right now, the most pressing thing that needed to be done was to get Luciana into hiding so that Everard could not find her. Crouching beside her, Drace sought to calm the woman enough to make her move.

“Hush now, girl. I am not taking you back to him. We cannot, however, remain here, or he will find you in time. Gather yourself and let us be off. I shall take you somewhere where you can be tended to and hidden away from your... well, whatever you would call him now.” Drace might have thought this would be the end, that Luciana would finally renounce her ties to Everard, but with the number of times she’d remained loyal to him, Drace was not at all certain of that. “Come,” she said, holding out her hand for Luciana to take.

[tarnishedxknight]

"Drace!" Maris smiled brightly upon seeing her, and grasped her hand at her approach. An almost nervous look in her gaze. "My dear, I should warn you my father and brother are here to visit. I have told them nothing of you stopping by, but I will not hold it against you if you wish not to meet them yet."

(( @wovenwaves because I feel bad for Drace rn, omg))

@wovenwaves

The moment she saw Maris' lovely, radiant face, Drace slipped off her helm and smiled in return. "Good afternoon, dear Maris," she said. Gods, what this woman's smile had the power to do to her. All the stress of the day seemed to melt away at the sight of it. However, at the mention of her father and brother being present, Drace felt a twinge of nervousness. Nevertheless, she was not about to shy away from the family of one she'd come to care so much for. "I would be delighted to meet them. Only... will my station upset them, as it once did you? I've no wish to cause unrest with your family."

[tarnishedxknight]

Vayne was baiting Drace.

Her heart lurched and, with little thought, Gylfie moved toward Vayne - careful not to draw attention to how she placed herself between him and Drace. Her back turned to both her and Gabranth, her head angled away from Bergan, Zargabaath, and her brother. Doing her best to ignore the way her heart pounded as she took sight of Gramis's body once more.

"Vayne," she said quietly - low enough for only him to hear, as he angled his head at her curiously. "Should we not have them investigate? I fear--"

He took hold of her arms as if to ground her. "The Senate has been arrested, you have--"

"I am with child," she interrupted, still keeping her voice hushed as her heart faced faster. As shock briefly flashed across Vayne's face before he masked it. "At least allow me to keep one of the Judge Magisters with me. I do not--"

Her ruse worked.

Vayne nodded as he retained his cool composure once more, and drew her to his side as he turned his attention back to the Judge Magisters. "Bergan, Zargabaath, I want you to go to Bur-Omisace and bring Larsa home," he ordered. "Drace--"

"Drace, you are to come with me," Gylfie cut in, and glanced at Vayne with a subtle nod. I can watch her, she wanted to say, but he seemed to understand.

He simply nodded. "Very well. Gabranth, Ynarra, you both will stay here while we... figure out what to do next. Word will spread rapidly of my father's death, no doubt, and we must..."

Gylfie couldn't bear to listen to him much longer. She pulled away from him and quickly made her way for the hall. Passing two of the Judge Magisters she needed alive the most with a curt, "With me, Drace," and without stopping. She knew Drace would follow, as frustrated and furious as she may be with Vayne securely in power, but that was hardly the matter now. No, now she needed to reveal her hand, and make sure she would not lose someone who would be needed to secure a better future without her dear husband.

She remained silent even as she led the way to her study, and even as she closed and locked the door behind them. Her expression crafted and unreadable as she made her way to the large bay window, and stared up at the banners of Archadia and House Solidor. Her arms crossed over her chest in thought. Was this the right move? Would Drace even entertain the notion of believing her? Was it worth risking everything for this?

It had to be.

"You must exercise more restraint around Vayne," Gylfie said at last. "He was baiting you, Judge Drace. He intends to rid himself of any threat or competition for the throne, and you nearly let yourself get caught. And now, more than ever, I quite need you alive."

(( @disillusionedjudge for Gylfie's empress au!))

@disillusionedjudge

No. This would not stand. Drace could not abide this. Perhaps the elections for the position of Emperor in Archadia had favored House Solidor for lack of any real challengers for many generations, but even so, the people deserved to choose their leader. That was how it was done, that was the letter of the law, and for Vayne Solidor to waltz in, condemn the Senate before proper trial, and instantly name himself Emperor of Archadia before his father's corpse was even cold... was an absolute abomination of the law and an abuse of power. And then to vaguely suggest that Larsa was the only other successor, continuing this farce of a autocrat's succession instead of a democratic process and implying a veiled threat against a child...

She had no choice. But as Drace moved to reach for the hilt of one of her swords to make formal her charge against Vayne, she was utterly derailed both in movement and thought by Gylfie, Vayne's loyal wife - now Empress, apparently - stepping between them. Drace blinked and lowered her hand, standing by to see the result of this abrupt conversation between the two, since much of it was at a volume that made the Judge Magisters not privy to its content.

And then the orders came. Bergan and Zargabaath were to retrieve Lord Larsa from Mount Bur-Omisace. Gabranth and Ynarra were to remain to discuss things further with Vayne. And Drace... She... blinked again. What just happened? What had the Empress said to Vayne to cause him to abandon the tense conversation Drace had been holding with him? She did not want to leave. There was more to be done here, this... this was not... finished yet!

As it was said again, this time as the Empress passed her by, no doubt with assumption that she would fall into line and obey, Drace glanced from Gylfie to Vayne and back again. Her lips parted to speak but words would not come. What could she say? Even if she did not respect Vayne's newfound and self-proclaimed position as Emperor, to refuse a direct order from the Empress would be against the law on Drace's part.

With a frustrated and even angry groan that almost took the form of a growl by the end of it, Drace turned away from Vayne and dutifully obeyed Gylfie, following her to the woman's study. Her gaze briefly met Gabranth's as she left the throne room, but nothing could be said or done. They each had their orders, and for now, they must obey them.

But playing nursemaid to a spoiled Empress...

She slipped on her helm to hide her displeasure and wounded sense of justice.

Drace bore Judge Ynarra no love. For as long as she had known him, he had stood for everything that was wrong with and about the Empire. He would not only see Archadia stagnant and refusing to change its ways, but would drive those ways of violence and superiority even deeper. Drace did not know the man's daughter, but if she was loyal to Vayne as was he, then she knew well her type.

Except... once inside Gylfie's study, what came out of her mouth was anything but what Drace had expected. Out of respect, for they were now in private quarters, Drace slipped her helm off once more. "Baiting me? To what end?" As Gylfie finished her statement, her question was answered. Eliminate competition for the throne. She needs me alive... Implying that she would not still be alive had she continued with her course of action.

In essence, Gylfie had saved her life. What Vayne had wanted was all too clear to her now, laid bare and simple, and Drace felt like an utter fool for almost falling for it. "I see," she said darkly. "Then I owe you thanks, Your Highness, for saving me from myself. I will take greater care to keep myself in check in the future."

[tarnishedxknight]

Luciana really didn’t want to be here.

Everard had dragged her along to some social gathering — Luciana hadn’t paid attention to the details — where all the Judge Magisters would be. She’d been planning to go alone, but he’d accused her of cheating on him with Gabranth, so she’d reluctantly agreed to let him come as her date. It wasn’t the first time such an accusation had been made, but it stung every time.

‘Why don’t you trust me?’ she’d asked Everard, her hazel eyes filled with hurt.

‘I trust you,’ he’d replied simply, but he was clearly agitated. That statement couldn’t have been further from the truth — he’d accused her of cheating with practically everyone she knew, excluding her family — but it wasn’t her place to say. ‘It’s him I don’t trust.’

Luciana was sure she had the worst luck in the world because before she realized what was happening, Everard had grabbed her tightly by the wrist and dragged her over to where Gabranth and Drace were chatting. She winced in pain, but she forced herself to smile through it.

Luciana hadn’t straightened her hair the way she usually did, and her long, robin’s egg blue dress was more conservative than the clothing she usually wore. This wasn’t the type of clothing that she preferred, and it wasn’t something she would’ve chosen for herself. Luciana was only 4’9, but the way she cowered before Everard made her visibly look smaller than usual. She couldn’t meet Gabranth or Drace’s gaze, and she was frozen in place.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends? You’re the one who’s so fond of them.” Everard asked.

“Oh, yes, um… Your Honors, this is my lover, Everard Beaumont. I-I don’t know if you’ve met before, he is one of the Imperial soldiers…” Luciana said. Her voice was squeaky and quiet. Everard dropped her hand. Luciana tried not to make a big deal of it, but her heart had begun to beat a bit faster. She barely knew anyone here — they were all powerful, older strangers, and the only person who she had in the room wouldn’t even look her in the eye. She folded her hands neatly in front of her.

“I’ve played a pivotal role in this war,” he boasted. “I wouldn’t expect Luciana to understand that, though. It’s simply beyond her intelligence level. I was hoping we could talk about a possible promotion. I feel my skills are being wasted in such a low level position.” Although she wasn’t very smart, she flushed when Everard pointed that out. He always made note of her flaws when they were around others, but the few times she’d found the courage to confront him about it, he’d accused her of being selfish and making things up.

“It isn’t up to the Judges —“ Luciana started. She tried not to get overly involved with politics, but she knew it wasn’t up to them to appoint new officials. Decisions that important fell in the emperor’s lap, and he hadn’t noticed her boyfriend at all.

“Was someone talking to you?”

“Oh, no, excuse me.”

“As I was saying, a promotion…? Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more privately since someone can’t seem to understand that not everything revolves around her.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, taking a few steps back. She trembled in fear. “I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry…”

This was going to be a long night…

__________

Gabranth had eyes on Luciana and Everrard the moment they had arrived. He hated to see her with him, to see the way he treated her, but she still wished to be with him, and so he could not make the decision to leave him for her. It had to come from her, unfortunately, even as much as he wanted to make Everrard disappear in a very permanent sort of way.

When the man had the audacity to simply accost Judges Drace and Gabranth, effectively ending their conversation, Gabranth seethed. Drace was also not pleased, but both schooled their expressions well. They were without their helms, with this being a formal social gathering, but that made no difference to them. Everrard did not and could not intimidate them.

After responding rather dismissively that, no, neither one had met him before, they let him make a fool of himself, prattling on in arrogant fashion about how he deserved a promotion and attempting to prove that point by belittling Luciana. Drace had to fight not to laugh out loud at Everrard’s assertion that he had been pivotal in the war effort. Gabranth had to fight not to murder Everrard for being Luciana’s lover. His eyes narrowed slightly as the man went on and on, but he said nothing. Neither one of them did, in fact, until he had finished his spiel. Then, they each weighed in.

“Promotions are not solicited, they are awarded, by His Eminence alone,” Drace said to Everrard. “And since, until now, we’ve heard nothing of your supposedly extensive skills and accomplishments, we’ve no reason to recommend you for one at this time.”

“His Eminence is not in the habit of promoting those who speak of and treat servants of the Throne poorly,” Gabranth said flatly. “Luciana is a trusted and valued tutor to Lord Larsa. His Eminence would be none too pleased to hear that you think her unintelligent and disregard her so easily.”

“Mm, ‘tis true. And we already have a Judge Magister who makes condescension and ill-treatment of women a personal hobby of his,” Drace continued. “His name is Bergan.”

“You are here by her privilege, not your own. If you wish to stay, you had best mind that fact, and show more respect,” Gabranth said.