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[I_Like_Pi]

"Ah. That would certainly do it. Was it the rumors that scare- er, gave you concern? They seem false to me."

"Wait, that means you're a noble as well? Small continent, I suppose. I don't know what transpired between you two, but do you truly believe your situation irreparable?"

[Chevaleresse]

"Yes. Siegfried Jubstacheit, at your service. However much that is worth. I don't believe we were properly introduced."
"To your other questions, the answer is yes as well. Miss Peritz has expressly forbidden me from speaking with her, and my last attempt to communicate with her ended up in Flora's pocket." He was quiet for a moment at the mention of the woman. "I've tried to make it up somehow by protecting her in these battles, but it seems I've done a rather sorry job of it so far."
"As for the rumors, they were indeed a source of apprehension. Especially given the bolts of light magic flung at me when I told her who I was. Mostly, though, I was trying to avoid being caught up in political scheming." He shook his head again. "A noble should be protecting people, not studying how to best bend them to his will."

[I_Like_Pi]

"Malcom Ellison, probably soon to be just Malcom, ready to serve."

"Perhaps she just needs some space? I don't know how long this has been going on for, but it might be better to just leave her be. No matter how much you might want to make amends if she's not ready to accept your apology you may as well be trying to convince your armor to dance with you."

Malcom lightened up at the potential topic change.

"That's something I agree on, Seigfried. What good is nobility if you just sit around and rule from your manor. If you say you're protecting them then you ought to actually be out there protecting them, right? If I had my way I'd know my way around a sword, not bows."

[CrimsonEon]

Spoiler: *Timewarp noises* (click to show/hide)

Shae looked up from her internal thought process at Jann's outburst and reached for his other hand when he'd composed himself. "I assure you that those responsible will be met with justice. As for Malcom," Shae said, turning toward Gregory. "He has made his loyalty clear."

As Shaelynn made her piece, Jann sighed as his face straightened properly, laying both of his hands down on the table calmly.
: "Right. Thank you. Glad to have proper nobility in the people's corner."

The hunter watched on as the exchange between Malcom and Shaelynn continued, eyebrows raising occasionally. He interjected briefly when Gregory posed the plan to move eastward.
: "Fine by me. If you ask my gut, we got that Han guy worried. We're right on their heels."
He glanced to his side at Shaelynn. His ear could pick up just a little bit of her muttering.
: "Got to say, you're defying what I've come to expect out of bluebloods. You sure you should be putting yourself up to those senseless standards?"

[Chevaleresse]

"Indeed. I wish more of the nobility thought this way. This revolution. . . who is it benefiting? Certainly not the common folk of this land. Not the men we've had to kill in order to reach this point. It's all just . . . schemes." He waved his hand vaguely through the air, as if clearing away cobwebs. "Maybe they truly believe that the rule of the Reich is wrong. I hope that is true, because the other possibility is disgusting. Having innocent villages slaughtered so that a few more people will bend their knees to you and yours. . . I cannot comprehend it."

[I_Like_Pi]

"Well, it certainly hasn't benefitted either of us, has it? And at the very least my family stands to gain a lot. And with that inside perspective, I'm afraid this rebellion may just be a power grab by former Troian nobles and other enemies of the Reich. Or, at the very least, that's why my family wants out of this."

"As for their methods? Well, they're sickening, to be honest with you. I'm sure the lost villages are nothing but 'necessary' casualties to the masterminds of this whole thing, whoever they are."

[Blade Master Model 42]

"It is one of the duties of the upper classes. We are entitled to a degree of wealth and a greater education, but we are servants of the people. And in the course of that service the nobility is expected to marry to political purposes. It is the way of things." Tears burned hotly against Shaelynn's eyes. "My marriage, like any noble's, should have strengthened this country. But I cannot even do that." Part of Shaelynn was mortified to be breaking down like this in front of everyone. With everything that had happened overtaking her at once, she could not bring herself to stand and seek privacy. She missed Iris. Was she dead? Missing? They couldn't know. She couldn't know. And the grief of that and her own self pity mixed violently.

[CrimsonEon]

: "Then I can't say I get it."
Jann shook his head and leaned on the table.
: "If anyone from my home village saw what I saw in the course of all this, they'd be calling you a hero for doing all that you've done so far. Actions like this put hope in the common folk's eyes, the political games and trysts that make up those iron masks the upper classes wear don't."
Leaning down into the table, he spoke as directly as he could towards her downcast eyes.
: "The road here has been bumpy and all, but there's reason to be proud of yourself here. I'm even sure the two sisters got out fine, Iris is quick and crafty, Flora spots things others don't. The latter noticed the castle's just lost its support and the former found a way out, I'd stake my first bow on it. So keep that head up, you're a Peritz and you're doing your family more honor in the folk's eyes than you would be stuffing yourself with some nobleman right now."

[Blade Master Model 42]

Shaelynn looked up to meet Jann's eyes, stopping short for a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her burnt and torn dress. "You truly believe the people would think me heroic? That I'm making a real difference?"

[CrimsonEon]

: "Back in my village, we had all sorts of problems." The hunter leaned back once Shaelynn looked up, he inclined his head, recounting old memories, "We lived near the Blackmarsh, nothing but wastelands and swamps filled with all manner of grotesque monsters. We petitioned the local lordship several times for help, but the most we ever got was a small shipment of weapons, not even a militiaman to confirm the problems. Apparently the regent decided that attending proceedings at Troi was more important than his own people."
Jann leaned back, eyes looking slightly unfocused as he continued his recollection.
: "But that changed when this one old lady, Helmara showed up. No-one really knew where she came from or what she did, but she was a hell of a shot with a bow and caught wind of the problems we were having. She took the strongest folks from the local areas and banded them together, trained them up and set up patrols around the Blackmarsh to keep the monsters out and give the farmers and traders space."
The hunter paused, taking a moment to massage the scar on his cheek
: "And the kicker? No-one knew who she was. Rumors were about that she was a former noble, some that she was a widow, a crazed hermit, or some sort of depraved witch. Despite all the gossip and slander, everyone agreed she was a true leader, more true than our would-be 'Lord', all because she took action when it was needed."
: "Granted, the people might not immediately be seeing what you're doing right this moment. But from where I'm standing, with everything that's going on now I'd say- in the last week- you've looked more like Lady Helmara than that putz of a lord."

[Criptfeind]

Gregory nodded to Suzanne idea of finding a messenger as he listened to the exchange between Jann and Shae, he nodded to the large mans words.
"Shae, all you need to do is just remember that village we saved. That's the real important stuff, that's the sorta thing that makes you a hero. Saving lives. Certainly the people who's lives you saved will think of you as a hero from now on. And here you are, tracking down traitors that plan to spill many peoples blood across the ground. You think those stuck up women we met leaving Blumhart could do even a tenth you've done to stop this rebellion?" Gregory shook his head. Before standing up from his seat, finally deciding to follow after Sieg. "Listen Shaelynn, you have to decide what's important to yourself, but I think anyone looking in from the outside would think you're doing the important thing, right here, right now." Gregory finished before walking out after Sieg.

He approached the two men outside in the inn. Sighing as he reached up to pat Sieg on the back.

"Hey Siegfried, how you holding up? I hope you didn't let Shaelynn get too much under your skin there. You're a good guy you know? You can't help it that she takes it so personally." Gregory sighed, leaning up against a pillar.

[Blade Master Model 42]

Shaelynn looked away from Jann as he finished, feeling the color rise in her cheeks. Then there was even more reassurance from Gregory before he left.  "You give me too much credit. But I thank you for your kind words, and I vow to work to be ever more worthy of them. You are a good man, Jann."

[Chevaleresse]

"Am I really? In the past few weeks I've managed to desert my duty to my family and my country, earn the undying hatred of a powerful noblewoman, and jump into exactly the sorts of scheming that I'd been trying to avoid, all the while failing at doing much more than watch my comrades take wounds and fall around me."
"I want to at least make this one small thing right, and I cannot do even that."

[Criptfeind]

Gregory shook his head at Siegs words.

"You really like to beat yourself up over your perceived duty, but from where I'm sitting, you're not doing a bad job. At least not for your country. This rebellion is a big deal, and you're serving your country well out here... I don't know what you mean about us getting wounded... In these fights, it's dangerous, people are going to get hurt, and you can't possibly keep all of use one hundred percent safe. But, we've all come though the fights at least alive, I think you're doing a fine job protecting us... I personally feel pretty dang safe standing behind you!" Gregory said with a small laugh. "You're doing fine in your duty to your country and to us... As for Shae and the marriage... I don't know, I'm not a noble, but from what I can gather she's really not all your fault. You can't take all the blame for such a symptomatic problem for her." Gregory shook his head. "I dunno... Maybe it's just my lack of noble blood, but this seems like a good oppertunity for both of you to find someone who makes you happy, instead of being stuck together."

[Chevaleresse]

"It's. . . not my fault I cannot apologize, but it is mine for the issue existing in the first place. It is part of being a noble. You gain the status and the privilege, but with it comes obligations. Costs. It is my duty to put the good of the house and the realm before my own happiness. Instead, I went gallivanting off over what amounts to a whim."