[color=red][b][center]Sapharan, High City, capital of Lanostre[/center][/b][/color][hr]
Tatiana ambled along the bridge between the twin alps. The young inquisitor’s gaze was momentarily entranced with the stonework of the ground beneath her. Her step was odd— one foot in front of the other and hands clandestinely outstretching to either side [i]just enough[/i] to barely be noticed by the watchful eye. It was as if she followed some mad balancing act. One might have thought her impaired in some way, but in truth, the only thing that plagued her were her thoughts. That much was evident due to her thousand-yard stare, but there was more to it than that simple blank expression. Was it perhaps the [i]ever so slightest[/i] hints of her lips curling into a barely noticeable smile. Almost… [i]Childlike…[/i]

[i]Those damned days long past… Warrior wandered the streets, clad in a thousand layers of steel, bearing innumerous arms. Each warrior moved so speedily past, like every second of their lives were filled with purpose. One little girl was different. A father walked at her side, gripping at her hand when her dainty stepping charades led her too off-balance. The little girl no longer wandered the roads with her father. No, the poor girl wasn’t allowed to anymore— shipped off to grow into an old proud woman. That was her fate. That was what happened to her, but still, even after so many years— even when Bridgetown was an echo of those days long past— the little girl still existed. Somewhere, she lived on, unfettered by the fate of growing to bear steel like all those old grizzly warriors, and even still, she reminisced on those days long past…[/i]

The inquisitor caught herself, dropping her arms to either side with a certain air of awkwardness that came alongside trying to hide her foolish recollections. [i]Foolish…[/i] For what inquisitor acted like a child? Yet, of all the places, it was here that brought it out of her. It was home. Tatiana didn’t expect herself to be so ecstatic to be back. Sure, she wished to see her father once more, but beyond that, she’d grown too accustomed to the monotony of the halls in the Red Seminary. It was as if the little girl was beaten back to hide behind the facade of a soldier, but there was no pressure for that here. At least, not yet.

Coming back into her senses made her accept the reality that surrounded her. Tatiana was finally home. Not for long, and she might not be back for… Well… Who knows how long? She was hesitant to accept any work assigned to her. While she dared not defy, a certain dissonance resonated in the young inquisitor. She missed the little girl strolling with her father. She missed the days when the iron-clad warriors were men of legend she never really understood.

Tatiana was almost too distracted to carry a usual conversation with her companions. Perhaps she just felt awkward being herself in Astraea’s presence. She didn’t feel the same as the rest of the inquisitors… The rest of the family. Tatiana could almost go as far as saying she feared Astraea, but it was more complex than that. No matter the reason, finally her trance-esque gaze shattered and her eyes tentatively shifted to Galahad every once in a while as she spoke. “Does your family await you as well? Well— I never actually got around to telling my father we were returning, but the surprise will be just as good as the whole staged formal reunion.” As the pair continued on, Tatiana finally set herself into a typical amble. There was a subtle squint to her eyes as the sun sank closer towards the horizon. “I imagine we live rather close to each other— with you being some fancy prince or whatever.” There was a joking tone to her voice, but there was certainly no harm meant. That much was evident by the girl’s soft tone.

Tatiana’s step slowed and she almost skipped a beat in pause as the quelling rays of light reflected off of the distant mass in their final moments. The gloss of the monstrous ice structure brought back a slew of old memories, perhaps more powerful than any of her walks alongside her father. “To go back… [i]That[/i] would certainly be an interesting privilege… Mother Indira always assumed one friend would be enough. I can see my friend anytime, though… It’s time mother and father get to see their daughter again.” Tatiana finally halted her step, peering around at her surroundings. “As much as I’d like to say I remember the streets like the back of the hand— or that I could take you down all the routes I used to walk— I can’t say the halcyon memories take me that far. I think it’s time I scurry off. I’ll meet you back real soon, though! Enjoy your time with your family as well, Galahad!” There was a final upbeat tone to her voice before she abruptly cut down a different street.

A smile existed on Tatiana’s face before she left Galahad, but she seemed to smile [i]even more[/i] as she turned away. The array of roads left her confused. Time passed and Tatiana found herself just ambling along her path. Why the hurry? There was something surreal about just [i]being[/i] here. As much as she didn’t want to wait to see her father, it was as if she was entranced once more. [i]Who would taking the long way hurt?[/i] The imminence of finally seeing her father once more left her beyond exhilarated. Of course, this came with the fact that Tatiana would have to face her mother again. She loved her mother— she really did, but things were complicated. [i]She[/i] was R’heon… Tatiana was a summoner. While Tatiana’s father left her at the Red Seminary with complete acceptance of her talents, her mother was not so similar. Tatiana’s mother had a tendency to avoid her child if she ever returned. As a proud Lanostran warrior, Tatiana’s successful career as inquisitor was all based upon her failure to undertake the same rites that would allow her to follow in her mother’s stead.

[i]No. No sense in allowing such thoughts to plague her mind and bring her down on a good day.[/i] Tatiana surged on, finally arriving at the manor of the Leviatan family. Regal? Most definitely, but also much smaller than she remembered. It appeared a bit more dilapidated than memory served to recall as well… Perhaps her father was finally giving in to age. Neverthematter. Tatiana strolled up to the door anyways, not bothering to knock or anything of the sort. It was her home after all. Upon entry, the first thing the inquisitor noticed was the enshrouding darkness broken only by the final slivers of sunlight pushing through windows. [i]Father certainly wasn’t expecting visitors.[/i]

“Father?” Tatiana’s voice chimed out around the largely open foyer. She waited not at all for a reply, instead choosing to start her way up the steps further into the maze of a mansion. Another call echoed through the shrouded halls. Still no answer… It didn’t take long for Tatiana to traverse the way towards the master bedroom. [i]Still dark…[/i] She entered.

“Tatiana…” The man lied hunched over against a wall. His hair disheveled and face gaunt and pale. Even in his shambled appearance, though, as Tatiana shifted swiftly to his side, something in his expression fell soft— even if just by a bit. The inquisitor’s mouth went loosely agape.

“What happened? Where is mother?"

[i]With a quick glance, one might have imagined the master bedroom was all in order— a bit messy yet, but that was commonplace in every home on occasion. It was the poor isolated man slumped against the reddened wall that stood out, seeming to almost radiate a fading cold aura. He evoked a weak cough from his lungs, a prelude to choking forth his daughter’s name.[/i]

“I finally tried to recognize my dream at the Glacier… Your mother wasn’t…” His gaze dropped, eyes weakly flicking towards the firearm dropped hastily in the man’s pooling blood. Tatiana wanted to do something. She wanted to throw a hand on his shoulder and say everything was okay. She wanted to say that he didn’t have to explain— that all was well, but instead, her body was frozen. She watched horrified as he fell silent, eyes starting to take on a telltale glazing. The fresh sanguine stains leaked even to her pristine inquisitor’s uniform. Tatiana didn’t notice.

“Father…”

He sighed. “If anything, I am glad [i]you[/i] went on to fulfill all that I’ve worked towards. Don’t give up on your demons…”

She couldn’t respond.

Tatiana couldn’t stay. The streets would be better. Anywhere would be better. Tatiana’s father was like her. The two were inseparable, and it seems in his final moments he finally revealed that also alike were their dreams to harness the power of the Glacier. On the other hand, it seemed her mother was R’heon through and through… Perhaps even something beyond it. Tatiana didn’t know how to feel. Hours passed before the inquisitor found herself back at Bridgetown. She knew she couldn’t miss the deadline for meeting back up with Galahad and Astraea, but that didn’t prevent her from being a bit late. As Tatiana found herself coming back, all of her thoughts were plagued with one thing. Not death, no. Not revenge, either. Tatiana wiped her eyes, her concentration entirely directed towards one thought. [i]What would have happened if she’d just remembered her way back to the manor and hadn’t wasted time getting lost?[/i]

She was a facade.... For the first time in so long, Tatiana felt that she might not be able to hold up the joyful attitude she was so known for. Nonetheless, she tried. Tatiana came with clear eyes, with a smile on her face, and with a livened step. If anything, she had to put on the facade for her comrades. No sense bringing them down with her, not with important work ahead of them. She was pretty good at it too— hiding the truth— but you can’t hide from the watchful eye, and the watchful eye would see the emptiness behind her front of joy.