[center][h2]Zakroti Unalim[/h2][sub] 
Interacting with: Aymiria Unalim [@Amethyst], Aurora Liesma [@WeepingLiberty][/sub][/center]

Zakroti batted her hand away from under his chin gently, flashing her a thin smile as he sat forwards somewhat whilst she leant back away. When he spoke, each phrase itself an attack and yet was delivered with a cool tone, filled with conviction and certainty rather than venom or aggression. "It is what you choose to be, not all you are to be. Do you wish for that to be your sole purpose? Would you rather carve something more out? I am open to talk."

"Yet if you truly wish to know who is at fault for such an injustice, for telling you such things, for letting your whole purpose be that, for allowing this tradition to carry on for so long - then peer into a mirror. For as a collective, for a moments peace you unleash damnation upon your own. Assemble your armies! Fight us! Yet we both know you will not. Do we come and tear away daughters from their families, or do families and neighbours give away their own rather than put up resistance and risk their hide? Of course, this is how empires are built; Upon the groaning bones of the weak, frail and cowardly. "

"Who is the worse here? We, who take what is on offer? Or you, who offer it up so willingly and with so little recourse? Indeed, you who are by your own account collaborative enough in your offering that you train those who are to be offered? Yourself, who did nothing and gave up your sister, your flesh and blood out of fear? Why did you not act? Your parents, who offered up both daughters? Why did they not act? Do Gemmenite parents care not for their blood? Do the Gems have no concept of honour or shame, no sense of self sacrifice and bravery? One might have thought sisters would defend each other, not perpetuate quite willingly an endless lottery of misery." His tone took a slightly more aggressive turn here, certainly, more accusatory and even disgusted as opposed to the cool and calculating tone he had begun with, as though he thought their actions some great and nigh on unpardonable sin - and in truth to an extent he did, for their disloyalty to each other with no good cause was disgusting - though did it not parallel what he himself did? He pushed that thought away from his head; the circumstances were very different, and after all he would have allowed no other to take his family from him. Internal strife and infighting was one thing, especially between brothers and sisters where it wasn't even uncommon for them to fight each other on succession. Between parent and child, though? Such a greater treachery, and one which struck a cord deep within him.

"Do you know what we would do in your place? We would stand shoulder to shoulder, the highest lord with the lowest slave of our holdings, and die standing rather than offer up a daughter, we would throw ourselves hopelessly through the Stars and into the void beyond to be devoured before submitting our own so weakly, and we should march through into the heavens and die trying to kill the [i]gods[/i] themselves before we so much as thought of teaching our young women to accept such a position. Do you know why? It's loyalty. Honour. Family. [i]Love[/i]. Yes, perhaps pet is generous for pets have loyalty and honour, and pets care; a hound will fight for its master. I have seen runt dogs that come up lower than my knee try to maul my foot off rather than let me slay their master; standing defiant in a scene that might reflect that of a mouse before a dragon. The Gemminite people, apparently, will not even fight for their pups. So what does that make them?" His voice had drifted away from the accusatory tone again, perhaps ironically given its content. It seemed he offered it more as a sincere question than as some sort of rhetorical device, rather bizzarely. He confessed, he was interested to hear a Gem defend their practice.

"Yes, you have an air of bitterness about you indeed. Perhaps deserved, perhaps not. Can I blame you for bitterness? Certainly not. I am a foreign man to whom you have been forcibly bound, and certainly I deserve your scorn for that. But point it also towards your own, who have abandoned you and are complicit in your suffering." And having finished his response so, Zakroti casually reached out and poured her a goblet of Mazjamma, offering it to her with a small smile. Apparently, his speech had again changed on a dime. No longer was he on the offensive but rather speaking to her as though she were on friendly terms with him. "A few drops more bitterness shall surely not affect you much, and bitterness is not itself a bad thing but just another taste to be experienced. I know many who are rather partial to this beverage, for example, despite the strong bitter taste it has."

Zakroti tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, then shook it firmly and frowned, drawing back his lip in an expression of - disappointment, perhaps, that she thought he would have done such a thing to them, or perhaps feeling insulted at the very insinuation. Still, he understood; he could see how it might be interpreted as such, for the Drakken were not precisely known for being the moral, sentimental or even compassionate kind. He knew more than a few lord who had in fact sent back mutilated bodies to torment the families from whom they hailed. It was a mistake on his part, perhaps. He drank from his own glass before continuing, his tone understanding despite his initial facial expression. "No, that was not the case. You assume the worst of me yet I intended only the best. I sent your sisters body home that her spirit might rest in peace, that your family might bury her on your own soil according to your own customs. Where do you think she should rest? On your families pyre? Or 'neath foreign moon and star, buried in coarse soil in a land that is not hers, bound to death and sent to Krenta with rites that are not hers? Does the soul rest well in such an environment. I know not your beliefs but think perhaps that it does not. Although I admit, perhaps I could have dealt with it better, do not wrought my intent; I intended only good when I returned her body to your family. I saw not your first mourning, nor your second and certainly I derived no pleasure from the thought of it. I wished only to give your family closure on her fate, and give her spirit peace of rest that she might wander into the arms of her gods - whatever I might think of them."

Zakroti paused as he finished, pleased that she had gained control over her volume. He didn't particularly like the idea of a scene in front of the great hall, though it was certainly better than occurring outside. He nodded slowly as she spoke again, this time accusing Miry for having committed the apparently terrible crime of surviving.

"As for Miry, she indeed was almost slain. Yet by the skill of Gaikus - and another Gem - she endures. It would be strange indeed for me to send someone who is alive home to be buried. Battles are messy things and people die, others live. I suppose I owe you that explanation." Zakroti took another drink, draining the goblet and pouring himself another glass of it from the pitcher in the centre of the table. Without another word he took another sip, then placed it down before continuing. "It starts as you might not expect. Aymiria's sister, Aery, came fleeing to us that morning. She was brutalised and traumatised, bleeding something awful and I believe she had been cruelly mistreated. She was the bride of one known as Lugft, a brute of a Drakken as foolish as he was brawny yet he had a number of vassals and substantial power. Having asked my protection and being related to my own bride, I brought Aery under the protection of my house, at least until such a time my Grandfather, the Muthseran, was available to deal with the situation. I was not enthralled by the idea of allowing her to go back to Lugft, although I was begrudgingly willing to allow such as under the law I had no right to steal away a bride simply because I did not approve of her treatment. I did what little I could."

"Needless to say, Lugft did not see it in the same way and intended to set upon us with a small group of his soldiers in our rooms. I gave orders that the brides be armed so that Miry and your sister could defend themselves should they be attacked- and this led to Aery being armed also, a grave mistaken given her fragile mental state. Negotiations were brief and futile, the barbarian could not be reasoned with and so we let our swords sing our arguments with a clashing and slashing of steel. During this time, your sister died. I know not the precise detail for I was locked in mortal combat with Lugft himself, but as I understand she accidentally mortally wounded Kasari before killing herself out of shame. Lugft and his soldiers paid dearly for this, I assure you; while one of them escaped unharmed, the others were either killed or wounded. Lugft himself was reduced a husk of the man he once was by my very hand, in a state that he lingers in today; as an idiot, as one without memory or thought, he is left as a drooling imbecile barely capable of moving his head, the fool warlord lives out a pained existence behind the locked doors of his fortress as his family, enemies and former subordinates slowly rip apart his lands, taking advantage of his ruined state for their own material gain."

Zakroti paused before continuing, his tone now a far cry from his initial one. It was soft and apologetic, perhaps even slightly saddened. "You have my sincerest apologies and regrets that your sister ended up dead of a fight that was not her own. I recall advising her to retreat to a more defensible part of our wing as it was not her fight and I would naturally understand any desire to extricate herself form it, yet she elected to stand. I remember her reply; 'This is unacceptable, Pyrus' sacred flame has many uses but this should never be one. The moment you chose me at the ceremony, lord, I became a part of your noble house. And while I am aware that I gain no social standing within your nation, your pride has become mine. This Drakken flame is tainted and I will be damned if I allow it. I will stay.' Brave words from a brave warrior, who I have remembered and honoured - though perhaps you view it more as insult than honouring, I ensured her body was returned to you and her name was added to annals of my household." Zakroti answered, placing down his glass and looking towards Aurora sincerely. He did not yet chastise her for her vitriol towards Aymiria, as much as he wanted to in his gut; she had more than fair reason to be angry. He highly doubted she would be pleased by this, but it was the truth and it might perhaps allow them to reconcile in some manner or another in time (given they were to spend a considerable length of time together) and having offered her an apology for what had happened did to an extent clear his own conscience; whether it was accepted or not, he had confessed what had occurred in full. He offered Aurora a weak and sad smile, reaching out to place his hand against Aymiria throughout, fully aware that the topic was very sensitive and still raw for her. He continued, adding but a few more sentences onto his spiel "In the end, she made a heroic choice and it did me a great honour. I fear that I failed her, while she certainly did not fail us. I beg that any blame you have for us be directed unto I rather than Miry; a commander is responsible for the activities of his soldiers, it was my duty to keep an eye on Aery and to ensure Kasari's well being. If you can find it in time, and I would understand if you could not given - everything - I would ask forgiveness for what happened, and for my handling of returning your sisters body which I realise now I did not properly explained and it must have caused more ill than good." 

[hider = Summary]
Zakroti condemns the Gemminites and counters Aurora's argument against him, directing her back to her own people as those to blame for the situation due to what he sees as a cowardly collaboration. He dares to go so far as to suggest that the Drakken, though primarily refer to his family and his own, are morally superior because they would not  give up their own without a fight while the Gemminites do regularly.

However, he softens up somewhat as he reaches the topic of Kasari, recounting that night of her death and praising her, pointing out that she choose to stay and fight which he puts to her great credit
[/hider]