[center] [h1][b][u]Carn[/u][/b][/h1] & [h1][color=deepskyblue][b][u]Titania[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [/center] [hr] “She must die, Carnelian.” Carn and Lothar stared each other down, with only a table between them. “No,” Carn refused. “Cadien demands it,” Lothar insisted. “She lashed out against an avatar, and she and her companions were somehow able to evade the sight of the divine. They cannot be here.” “They’re [i]not[/i] here,” Yarwick said, stepping into the tent with Ingrid beside him. “She’s gone. Can’t find her anywhere. A few say she left, and took dozens of men with her.” The news of her departure struck Carn directly in the heart. He had seen her again for the first time in years, and once again… she was gone? She had declared her love for him - or at least, a love that she used to have - and said she would ‘prevent his army from killing each other’, but instead she had left? Would she even return? She had said she would return, when she first left him at Jalka. It had taken her years to fulfill that promise. She had made no such promise now. He reached into his pocket, and his hand closed around the ruby amulet. “Where did she go?” he asked. Yarwick shrugged. “They say she went west,” Ingrid said. “Toward Ketrefa. No idea what she’s planning.” Carn stared down at the table with uncertainty. “We ought to hunt her down,” Ingrid went on. “She could be planning to join Ketrefa. Even if she isn’t, she might get captured.” “She knows nothing that might help them,” Carn objected. “And I know her, she won’t let them take her alive.” “So what do we do if she comes back?” Yarwick asked. “I’ve said it already,” Lothar pitched in, “she must die.” [colour=deepskyblue]”I wholeheartedly agree!”[/colour] shouted the armour from the corner of the tent. [colour=deepskyblue]”She is nothing short of evil - uncontrollable, uncaring evil. She has no place in this world, other than to function as a warning of what the vile desires do to a person’s mind.”[/colour] Lothar nodded. “The Avatar of Gibbou has spoken, and I can assure you that Cadien has as well. Why do you refuse?” Carn looked up, and glared at him silently. True, Aurielle had been out of line, and true, he was angry at her for the way she had acted, and true, if it had been anyone else he would have agreed with Lothar, but... it was Aurielle. “My reasons are my own,” he said defiantly. “Listen,” Yarwick said rather bluntly. “I don’t know what history you had with this girl, but she tried to destroy a divine avatar, and she could have burned half the camp down while doing so. Now if the tales are to be believed, she’s taken your men and fled without even asking permission. She’s dangerous. Spare her if you want, but don’t let her near this army. We can’t trust her, and if you just forgive everything she’s done you’ll only make yourself look weak.” “Weak?” Carn’s glare turned on Yarwick. “If I was weak, I’d be agreeing with you all, wouldn’t I?” He shook his head. “I will not name her an enemy. If she is leaving, then we never have to worry about her again. If she is going to join Ketrefa, then she shall be dealt with on the battlefield. If she returns, then I shall hear her explanations, and then decide what to do with her. The matter will be settled, one way or another.” Ingrid nodded reluctantly. “He’s right. We’re talking about punishing someone we currently have no means to punish.” [colour=deepskyblue]”No means? Have you forgotten who has graced you with her presence and aid?”[/colour] One could practically hear the voice flex her metaphorical muscles. [colour=deepskyblue]”Put me on, wearer, and we will go deal with her like any other pest.”[/colour] Now Carn’s displeased look rounded on Titania. “She was right in front of you, and you couldn’t even see her,” he pointed out. “Watch your tone,” Lothar rebuked. “But…” he began grudgingly. “He’s right. Her companions… when they joined her, both you and Lord Cadien somehow… lost sight of her. I’m not certain we can track her.” [colour=deepskyblue]”She is obviously in cahoots with some other god - an evil demon set on infiltrating your forces, all while remaining hidden from the divines that seek to aid you. I see this only as further proof that she needs to be exterminated. I could not see her, that is true - but you could, wearer; with your body and my power, you need only guide me in her direction and she will be no match for us. Together, we are unstoppable.”[/colour] “If there is an evil force protecting her, I suspect the work of the Masked Devil,” Lothar suggested. “We have no way of knowing that,” Carn objected. “I know her, and she’s not the type to work with [i]any[/i] god.” “If she’s a godless heathen who has somehow devised a way to hide herself from gods, then that doesn’t make her any less dangerous.” “ENOUGH!” Carn slammed a fist against the table, catching everyone off-guard. “I command here, and I shall hear no more of it. There are more pressing matters that demand our attention.” [colour=deepskyblue]”What, wearer, can be more pressing than a saboteur and a spy? If she is under influence of an adversarial god, perhaps one who also has ties to this city Ketrefa, then we cannot allow her to dig in her roots among your soldiers! Planning an assault is useless if those entrusted to carry it out are without discipline and fidelity.”[/colour] “That problem is not exclusive to Aurielle,” Carn grit his teeth. “Only a couple nights ago, a man in this camp tried to murder me. He thought Ketrefa would reward him if he brought them my head. Then, there’s the fact that half the chieftains who pledged themselves to me all seem to harbour some sort of grudge or feud with each other.” He looked up at Ingrid. “How many men are with us now?” Ingrid shrugged. “More than two thousand, I think? Impossible to count.” “More than two thousand,” Carn repeated. “They won’t catch up to her. If you want to hunt her down, we’ll have to go by ourselves if we have any hope of catching up. Which means leaving these two thousand men behind, when we’re the only thing holding them together.” He shook his head. “We can’t do that. She’s gone, and we will only catch up with her if she allows it. We have to focus on the people who are still with us.” Titania growled metallically. [colour=deepskyblue]”How can you even consider letting her walk free? Is your sense of justice this weak? Your sense of law, of order?”[/colour] Carn growled back. “I refuse to pursue her for the same reason I don’t just walk into Ketrefa and fight my way through the city singlehandedly: [i]I can’t.[/i] I refuse for the same reason that you haven’t struck down every wrongdoer in the world already: [i]you can’t.[/i] We can only deal with the problems that are in front of us, and some are more pressing than others.” [colour=deepskyblue]”I see it is not me who is blind, but my wearer - together, we can solve all these problems without issue, yet your refusal to wear me puts us all at a disadvantage…”[/colour] She clicked her tongue. [colour=deepskyblue]”Perhaps I have chosen poorly.”[/colour] Lothar bowed his head. “Please forgive Carnelian’s crude tone,” he pleaded. “He-” “No,” Carn cut him off. “You want me to wear you? Fine. Then we will address my army and get them moving. Toward Ketrefa, and toward Aurielle. If we somehow catch up to her then I will decide what to do with her then. If not, then we cannot let her distract us from our true goal: we need to reach Ketrefa. Every day we delay is another day that the innocents enslaved inside suffer. Is that not so?” Titania snarled. [colour=deepskyblue]”You will decide what we do with her now - if the hour comes and you hesitate, the quality of your character will be clear. Swear you will end her life if we catch her, and you may wear me. If you refuse, then…”[/colour] The armour paused. [colour=deepskyblue]”... Then the one known as Lothar will wear me instead.”[/colour] Lothar blinked. “What?” Carn frowned. “[i]If[/i] it turns out that Aurielle left with the intention of abandoning us or joining our enemies, then I will… end her. But if I find out otherwise, that will change my decision.” [colour=deepskyblue]”A deserter is a deserter - she was not sent away; she left - that makes her a deserter. If you cannot make an example of her, then what is to stop your other two thousand men from doing the same? Many of them have families, innocent families who now are without protectors because they all have joined your cause. Enslaved, the innocents of Ketrefa may be, but they will not be freed if their saviour cannot distinguish emotion from duty. Decide now - no conditions.”[/colour] “She swore no oaths. She made no promises. She cannot be a deserter,” Carn argued. “And I have made my decision. Life is not black and white. I’ll not commit myself to a judgement when I don’t have enough information to make an informed decision - that’s not justice.” These were not his true beliefs; he was simply trying to talk her down. “When I find out her intentions, I will do what duty requires.” [colour=deepskyblue]”Pfft. If you believed she hadn’t at least made some kind of hint that she would be supporting us, you wouldn’t have made that condition in the first place. Admit it, wearer - you have feelings in this matter and cannot bring yourself to do what you must. Man known as Lothar, you will switch your diet to eggs, meat and bread and commence working out three times per day starting now, is that clear?”[/colour] “No,” Lothar blurted out. “Your holiness, I beg you to reconsider. Whatever failings Carnelian possesses, I am even less worthy than he. He is the son and champion of Cadien; he was chosen for a reason. I would request that you have faith in Cadien’s judgement.” Titania was quiet for a minute or so. Then she offered a long, guttural groan. [colour=deepskyblue]”... Given my master’s relationship with the mighty Cadien, I would be insolent to start conflicts on that front…”[/colour] Her invisible eyes switched over to Carn again. [colour=deepskyblue]”You should treasure your companions, wearer - you’ll find few as dedicated to your god and your cause.”[/colour] “I suppose you’re right…” Carn nodded reluctantly. It was times like this when he wished he was around someone who shared Aurielle’s jadedness. He reached for the helmet. “Come. We need to get this army on the move.” [colour=deepskyblue]”Indeed. Take us away, wearer.”[/colour] [hr] Messengers were sent, and the chieftains were gathered. In the center of camp they stood before Carnelian, who was clad in Titania, with his advisors at his side. “For the past few days we have been gathering strength!” he declared. “But now, it is time we move! For while we ready ourselves, Ketrefa does not sit idle. We must take the fight to them, before they can strike at us. Now, ready your men. We depart tomorrow.” [hr] [hider=Post Summary] Carn holds a war council. First thing they discuss is what to do about Aurielle. Titania and Lothar want her dead, while Yarwick thinks she should at the very least be exiled. Ingrid seems neutral. They go back and forth for a bit, with Carn claiming they should wait until they actually see her again to make a decision. But Titania is insistent, and threatens to no longer let Carn wear her if Carn doesn’t agree that Aurielle should die. Carn continues to refuse, so she almost picks Lothar as her wearer instead, but Lothar convinces her to trust Carn on this. Anyway they then agree it’s time to get their army moving, so Carn wears Titania, calls all the chieftains and leaders who pledged themselves to him, and tells them to get ready. [/hider] [hider=Prestige Summary] [u]Carn[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 27 +4 for 7.5k characters [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 31 [/hider]