[b]Kolkochi mansion[/b]

Marren stood over a large ornately carved table upon which lay maps, documents and papers of various kinds. Wide stained glass windows allowed the afternoon light through in shades of green and gold, illuminating the table. The map was large, taking up most of the space on the table. On it were scrawls and notes, arrows and straight lines that seemed to plot various routes from Rose to Kantle, some going through No Man's Land, some going through Eve territory, all avoiding the front line which was marked with a bright red ink. 

“My Lord Marren” A voice called out behind the man. He didnt look up and simply waved his hand. 

“You have the profiles Lissandra? Good, bring them here” 

He was surprised when he felt a wet stain across the back of his hand. He stood straight and turned, brows furrowed but paused, his eyes widening slightly when he saw his sister stood before him. She looked as she had been when his father and brothers had died. She wore black; a black dress that reached to her ankles, black elbow length silk gloves, a thin black mesh veil and her hair, usually dyed in some bright colour she had returned to her natural black. She looked like a living shadow, so different from the bright light that she used to be. 

Marren gently pulled the veil to the side to look at a face familiar to his own. Her eyes looked tired, her skin looked much paler. As he pulled the veil he noted that the wet splash on his hand was her scoring it with black paint. She held a brush on her hand. 

“Well my dear brother, it seemed you had caused quite a stir” She stated as she walked past Marren towards the table. 

He followed her movement “News travels fast it seems”. Their tones were neutral, his slightly cautious and hers unreadable. 

She put a finger on the map, finger tracing the numerous routes. “Very complex routes, especially for” she looked at him “ 'a small, safe excursion' “.

He swallowed, looking back to the map, unwilling to meet her eyes. She approached him and put her hand to his face and turning it to face her. “This is beyond idiocy, you know that?” 

He kept silent, she continued “You, the last Kolkochi son, going off on a mission that would end in nothing but your death” her expression softened “You know I cannot allow that”

He gently pulled her hand away and turned back to the map. “I already have a route and mounts ready, now all I need is to bring in the crew to travel with me. Ive found suitable candidates, amongst them a fast rising Lieutenant who, from reports on the front, leads a crack squad. Ive already sent a call to her commander and requested her presence”

As he continued to speak of his plans, his actions, what he expected to happen, his contingencies, Calliope pulled out a vial of ink from within her dress and poured it over the map, staining a large part of it. Marren slowed to a pause and watched the black ink cover Kantle, flowing outwards until only a large black stain remained. 

“No” Calliope said simply then walked away, her footsteps the only sound.