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Éliane had not expected to hear Izayoi’s story. She’d heard inklings of it, little bits and pieces from traveling around with the Mystrel woman during their journey together, but she had never actually enquired on it. It was far more of a traumatic tale than she had expected or, ultimately, even properly relate with. How could she, when she had lived a life that was as charmed as could be, up until the Valheimian attack? 

It did, though, reinforce in her eyes that Valheim was once more the enemy, and needed to be removed from the world together with the Blight. Again, she felt that the two would ultimately be intertwined issues…

The news of even more Valheimian atrocities, interrupting their little tea party was yet another crime to add onto the mountain of evils. Without even understanding the situation in the capital, she was nearly immediately inclined to agree to Izayoi’s impassioned plea. Had she been younger, she might have immediately, jumped up alongside Izayoi, Rudolf, and Robin in rescuing this young lord from their clutches. After all, it had so many parallels to her own past. A running battle in a capital city to foil some nefarious plot, ultimately to the benefit of Skael, too. It sounded mightily familiar, and it urged on her battle lust.

But she wasn’t exactly in Solitude, with the entire backing of the Royal Guards to put down a nascent rebellion. No, this was the opposite—she would be helping Izayoi and a ragtag band of rebels in fighting an occupation force. It was the kind of thing that needed careful consideration, or they’d just end up alongside this Hien. 

Of course, she’d still do it, but it just needed to be carefully done. 

It would just have been nice to have a whole company of SEED agents to advise and execute it, as that was what they did best. She turned to Esben, who was already providing some very useful facts and questions to consider, and nodded.
 
[b]“Since we’re talking a real battle, what exactly are the numbers are we working with here? Against an occupying force, I think forces like yours,”[/b] she gestured towards Ciradyl, before adding her questions ontop of Esben’s, [b]“and us, have a very good asymmetric advantage. How many soldiers can Reisa muster to ambush us without compromising the rest of the occupation of the city?  If we’re going to rescue him straight from the dungeons, what are the streets or the geography around his prison like?" [/b]