[b]Collab between Sundered Echo and Ellri. Involving Angie nic Cuán & Alessia[/b]

In the background as she got dressed, Angie heard some strange noises she could not quite place, intermixed with human shouting. After she finally got the clothes figured out, she started walking towards them. Considering that the structure was quite unfamiliar to her, it was a wonder she did not get completely lost there. There was a strange buzzing to the air, it tingled at the back of her head, as if familiar, yet not quite so. She realized she really wanted to figure it out. By chance, she got to a window facing the main courtyard of the Kalesian Embassy shortly after the stranger of the noises stopped. All that remained was the agonied moans and the faint scent of freshly spilled blood. She looked out the window and saw that there were bloodstains upon the ground in the courtyard.

Alessia was on her way to her quarters to collect new clothes before bathing when, turning a corner, she walked almost straight into the young evoker she had rescued earlier, Angie. She seemed to be looking out at the courtyard, likely wondering why there were bloodstains suddenly in a trail to a wall. It would not do to scare the poor girl into thinking the people she was seeking sanctuary with were really monsters behind the kindly visage, though, after everything she had been through, Alessia considered it likely that this Angie would believe the truth. “Angie.” She began softly, so as not to startle the girl. “You are looking much better now. Do the clothes fit well?” She didn’t wait for an answer before continuing. “This has been quite the day, and its only just beginning. Is living in Amaryth always this… exciting?”

“Exiting? Normally hardly anything happens. What happened down there?” she asked, still curious. She saw that Alessia had some strange stains on her dress. Idly she noted that Alessia’s dress was of fairly similar design to the one provided to her, though with a longer skirt. Sniffing the air, she caught the feeling that something that was like a hound yet different and more had been near Alessia. She had never before smelled anything like it, nor been told of any such being by the hounds of the city.

Alessia paused for a moment, she thought about telling the girl to wait until she had changed, she [i]really[/i] wanted to get out of this outfit now that it had blood on it, but thought better of it. “I was attacked… or, well, I think I was, by a beast that appeared to resemble a wolf that could walk. I have never seen its like. The Guards drove it away, but though their valor is appreciated, it would seem I owe my life to the beasts whim. It chose to lick me instead of biting.” It sounded somewhat ridiculous after she had said it, and she wondered if perhaps she might have been better off with a calculated lie.

“A Two-legged wolf? That’s odd.” Angie answered, once again sniffing the air. She leaned over and breathed the scent on Alessia’s dress deeply in, so that she could without a doubt recognize it in the future. If it appeared once, she figured it might do so in the future too. “What happens now? I can’t leave the embassy, right?”

Alessia inwardly cringed at the idea of Angie now sniffing at her, but did not let it show. The girl probably found the scent of the wolf-thing intriguing anyway. “No, not while you are still an Othean. Not if you wish to be safe from the Inquisitors. There is a way, that you could be safe though. Not just now, but always.” Safe from the inquisitors at least, Alessia thought. “But it will be a sacrifice as well.” She waited for a response then, to gauge the girls reaction.

“Oh?” she answered, quite intrigued. She truly had no idea what that way could be, and the promise of permanent safety from the inquisitors certainly sounded like a good thing. She’d heard stories in the past about those inquisitors, but had never truly believed in them. The fact that the local chapter of Idris had been the family’s main customers probably explained most of the doubt. You don’t want to believe the worst about your family’s primary customer.

“With my recommendation -” Alessia began. “You could become a citizen of the Kalesian Empire. Kalesia does not recognise the Idris laws and will not allow them to be applied to its citizens. But what am I saying? We cannot have you making life changing decisions while loitering in a corridor. Come, I’ll explain what this would mean for you on the way to one of the towers, then you can think about it while I go and change. How does that sound?” As she finished she gently began to lead Angie to the closest of the Embassies towers - ostensibly guard towers, though this one had been outfitted for viewing and general use too, as apparently the resident ambassador liked to spend his spare time above everyone.

“Become Kalesian? Is that possible?” Angie answered a bit skeptically. She listened closely as she followed Alessia through the embassy and eventually coming to a long series of narrow stairs that spiraled upwards. Though the stairs were cramped, they passed several doors on the way up, eventually coming out to a surprisingly large room. She saw a large table in the middle of the room, whereupon rested a huge sheet of parchment, which Angie guessed depicted some sort of map. She barely knew how to read the simpler kingdom runes, let alone long texts or maps. However, before she could give that more thought, she saw the window. It was not as if windows were new to her, but rather that she’d never seen one facing anything but equally tall or taller buildings across narrow streets. The view out of this window was incredible. She could see more of the city than she’d ever seen before, even the wilderness and forests outside the city walls. She did not know how long she stood there, simply staring out the window.

Alessia looked at the girl staring in wonderment at the expanse of the city, reminded of how she had felt the first time she had seen her home from up high. She was younger then, of course, but then, even now it was impressive. She put a hand gently on Angie’s shoulder to get her attention before speaking. “The most important thing to think about right now, is that if you become Kalesian, you will be expected to make use of your abilities, your evocation I mean, to serve the Empress, may she live forever. I’ll let you stay here and admire the city while I go and change. I will be back soon.”

Angie only paid half-attention to Alessia’s words until the hand touched her shoulder. With reluctance, she turned about for a moment to listen. “Ok, I will think on it.” After the Kalesian left, Angie turned back to the window, not really looking at anything specific as her thoughts churned. She had never had any hesitation about using her abilities in the past, it was not as if she could truly turn them off after all. She missed her family a little, but knew that for their sakes that she could not have done anything differently. If it meant survival, she would have no problem serving that foreign empress. It was not as if the Othean nobility and royal family had ever done anything for her and hers. Thinking back, she even realized that they had done much the opposite, giving the Order of Idris nearly free reins. Her grandfather, before he died seven years earlier, had told her of how tolerant the King had been when he was young. How the Order had not had any influence to speak of back then. It wasn’t a decision to make lightly, but she knew without a doubt that she had already made it. She would take the Kalesian’s offer when she returned.

Having wasted no time at all in freshening up, Alessia made her way quickly back to the tower, a new and different set of clothes now adorning her figure. She found Angie just where she had left her, and after allowing the girl just a moment more to look out at the city, spoke once more. “Angie.” She said to get the girls attention. “Have you thought on your answer? There is no rush to decide, the Embassy will let you stay for a few days without a decision but if we can get the formalities over with today, you may yet get to go to the festival.”

“I have made my decision. The Kingdom of Othea has not offered me anything that is of more value than what you say Kalesia offers. My old grandfather, who is dead now, said it used to be different before the Order of Idris came, but the kingdom is not what it was back then. I will gladly accept the offer.” This time, she sounded very sure. There was no doubt in her voice now.

A smile crept over Alessia face at the resolve present in the young girls voice, and it seemed she had also found a good degree of eloquence too. “Then it is my honor to inform you that you are now a citizen of the Kalesian Empire. There are several formalities to finalise the affair, but they will not take long.” Unbeknownst to Angie, her comment helped spur on Alessia in her belief that the Kalesian plan was justified. She only hoped the girl’s loyalty proved as strong as her enthusiasm.

“Thank you.” she answered, a bit curious about exactly what the formalities entailed. Had she been more imaginative, she would no doubt have imagined all sorts of horrible ceremonies, but she wasn’t all that imaginative. Instead, she simply smiled.