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[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
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Her companions' responses weren't surprising. Each of them had expressed similar sentiments either at Balmung Castle or on the road from it thus far. Galahad's relationship with his father was more unexpected, really. Izayoi's memories of her own parents had all but faded away even in her adolescence, but she did remember warmth. It would be a cold day in the hells before she acknowledged her master as any sort of parental figure, but their bond had been violence without hate. He'd nurtured her into someone strong enough to survive, after all. And Lord Kaien paternal kinship with the young master Hien had been nothing but positive. Disappointed lectures at the most when the boy sought out too much trouble for his own good. So the utter hostility going back and forth across the table right now was foreign to her. 

And then Artorias had the temerity to bring her into this. For what it was worth, Izayoi did think long and hard for a moment if she'd ever knowingly killed a Caradoc before. Any man or boy that ever resembled the two noblemen at the table right now. And...she couldn't. There was the very real possiblity that Lord Caradoc was telling the truth, of course. She'd slaughtered so many Edrenians over the course of the war, directly or otherwise, that they had all started to blend together in her eyes after the first few months. Denying the charge outright was impossible. But once she was finished thinking about her own actions, something in the man's words did rankle at Izayoi until she finally realized what it was after some deliberation. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"I will not deny the possibility that I did kill your son. It was war, and I assume he was a legitimate member of your people's armies."[/b][/color] Izayoi said after a long moment, after which her expression hardened. [color=#736AFF][b]"But assuming that to be the case, why do you insist on sending one son to avenge the other, rather than making the attempt yourself? I lost my own child not half a year ago, and I would move heaven and earth to see every man of Valheim butchered at my feet until I find the killer."[/b][/color] She really, truly, did not want to discuss this with a former mortal enemy. Even mentioning Suzume to him felt like an admission of defeat. But what he was doing was [i]reprehensible[/i].

[color=#736AFF][b]"Moreover, you wait until [i]now[/i] to bring this up? Do you actually care about your other son's death, or were you hoping that holding this in reserve would shock Galahad into doing your bidding? By all means, I will accept challenge from you, out of respect for another parent outliving their child. I would be a hypocrite otherwise. But face me yourself, rather than sending another son to die. If you will not, then I believe I've had my fill of Edrenian nobility for the evening."[/b][/color]