Re: Svarik and the company II

[VisAnastasis]

( OOC: Of course, don't worry - I'll be wake earlier tomorrow, so if he comes by 10, I can come to you so we can try it out, and if not, it's okay, we can leave it for Thursday if it's

" You may believe so, but people change, and loyalties change, for 300 years. It's been long. Even if many would unite under you, there'd be even more, who would be against you, and even more so, more people who would want to proclaim themselves rulers, simply because they have much more influence that a mere one member of a family lost to time. I am not trying to degrade you. You just must really sit down, and consider realistically - do you really think you'd bring anything by trying to do this, but force civil war upon Seacost? "
" Yes. I could tell you first - I worked 300 years to make this land more better and more prosperous. " Hans was the one who spoke up darkly, observing him gloomily, with coldness worthy of being considered Falcon's equal upon the sea. " I would rather support a child of am emperor whom I can trust is sincere with me, than a child of former king who is boasting about being a good liar. I would never support a man like you, and none of my own would. We have many problems here, true, and had been wronged by empire, but there is finally someone on its head that listens and is kind and compassionate, and I am not going to waste an opportunity for peace and prosperity just to support a brat like you, and neither will any of my allies. Call it Civil War, if you like; but I don't only have lies, like you, but years of experience, and thousand of men loyal to me, under my command, and supernatural forces are my friends and would take my side. I would win it, boy. I lost only one War, with the empire, the same ones your ancestors lost - a child like you would stand no chance to me. Unlike you, I actually did my homework for this. I will not let my years of toll go to waste, for someone like you.  "

[Mirach]

"Fine, I get it," Senecio shrugged. "My family has been waiting for a chance for 300 years. It's not my fault that when that chance finally comes, there is at last a decent guy on the throne. I just had to try for all of them."

[VisAnastasis]

" It almost worked out for you - at least, you almost got the document, even if you wouldn't get with it very far. " Erdel murmured.
" Yes, you almost did. Biggest mistake you have made was the first thing you did - you left Lorenzo and Amelia locked down in their room, life and unharmed enough, for Sage to hear their struggle for help. " Hans said coldly, with iron in his voice, and unreadable expression. " If we didn't find them, then we wouldn't be able to read through your lies on time. If you have killed them instead of just drugged and bound them, and thrown their bodies into the sea - perhaps it would be enough, to buy you time till dawn, to get document and try to make a run for it. You must have known, that it would have been more secure plan. Then why didn't you go through with it? Knife you used was not long enough to kill. Poison you used was dire and dangerous for demons, but survivable for humans. You pretended to be Lorenzo, so you wouldn't have to fight anyone on the way in or out. You did not try to call any possible supporter to help you but chose to only risk your own life. Why prepare for months, only to make a plan like that, plan that has only one casualty, yourself? Why prepare so hard for a suicide mission? "

[Mirach]

Senecio rolled his eyes. "Because I didn't really want to kill anyone, isn't that obvious? Now, if my father or grandfather had this chance, they would not hesitate over a count of dead bodies, but I am just not made of that stuff..."

[VisAnastasis]

" So, what are you made of? What did you want to accomplish? What do you actually want? " Erdel inquired quietly. " Tell us, best case scenario. Did you do this because you wanted independence for Seacost, or because you wanted to regain your title and become King of the Sea? Sea's independence, or your family's return to power - what were your aspirations? And if you wanted to be ruler - why not pursue carrier in politics or law, at least, where you could have came to prominence? Why became an actor, even more so, why strive to be such an excellent actor, if you aimed to be sea king in the end? "

[Mirach]

"I did not choose to be an actor. I was made one," Senecio replied. "My father decided that as an actor, I have a biggest chance to try this... and it turns out he was right. I did not really think much further than that. I was just taught and prepared to take this chance to return our family's greatness since I was little. I did not atually believe that it could succeed, but I had to try."

[VisAnastasis]

" Are you parents still alive? Do you have siblings, or is it just you now? " Erdel inquired. " You turned out to be quite a good actor. You even convinced Sage, though shortly, that you were his son. You were made an actor, and clearly your parents did not spare resources to teach you to fight or get you good climbing lessons. Do you find enjoyment in acting, or was it really just something imposed upon you? What would you do, if you were not an actor? What would you want to do for living? "

[Mirach]

"It's just me now, the last and only hope of the Parvaio family," Senecio declared with a tragical pathos. "I actually enjoyed being an actor," he continued more humbly. "My father would be so ashamed if he heard that. The acting was supposed to be just a means for reaching our goal of becoming the rulers of the coast again."

[VisAnastasis]

" So, no aspirations? No future goals? You was just being prepared for it for too long to give up on it, so you just went for it? " vampire asked little tiredly, and he turned to king, to see if man was lying, feeling quite tired with this interrogation, since lad clearly didn't really want to try too hard to excuse himself, replying only simply and casually in face of death. " We heard you were in city at coronation day, too. Was you there because you planned some malice, or did you just come to check the situation with the new king being crowned? "

[Mirach]

"I came to remember his face, in case he comes here. My family did so at every coronation for the past 300 years," Senecio shrugged, as if not going wouldn't be a real option to him.

Svarik nodded to Erdel slightly, to confirm that he is telling the truth.

[VisAnastasis]

" Alright, then. What about your befriending of Sage's son? Was it all a part of the grand plan as well? " vampire asked him then suddenly, observing him sternly. " You said you prepared for few months, and Lorenzo said he befriended you few months ago... Did you befriend him with intent of betraying him, like this? Despite being your patron, choosing to return his kindness like that? "

[Mirach]

"Of course it was a part of the plan. I could have many other, more wealthy or influential patrons. I was really good, you know. Though I must admit I liked him. Would he not be married and only interested in women..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Hm, you don't have to finish that sentence, fine. He's a married man. Er, ahem, it is how it is. " Erdel couldn't help but blush a little, not being a person who was comfortable enough with Lorenzo's tone, it reminding him a little on flirtatious personality couple people in their life, Hans included, had. " What about the duel he proposed to you. I am not saying we would authorize it or not - king's decision on that matter is unclear yet. But you was good enough with knife back there, and had fast thinking, and you can climb walls very well - what kind of training did you have? If he challenged you to a duel, do you feel confident you'd win? Would you really kill him, even though you've liked him? "

[Mirach]

"I would fight for my life, but I don't want to kill him," Senecio replied.

Svarik nodded a little again, to mark that he is telling the truth.

[VisAnastasis]

" What is your experience with laws, economics, problems of land? " Erdel continuing asking simply, trying to find anything that he could use to better grasp the character of the man, what is his passion, what drives him, what makes him himself, other than thrill of fooling people with his skill. " Did you strive to learn anything of it, or, not believing you'd ever win, did you just brush of such subjects, and never learned of them? You are against empire yourself as well, so you must have a word or two against it that you'd like to add as your two cents. Sage told us about ridiculous taxes imposed in last years after fall of last Emperor. We are working on fixing that. He also told us about the children that were taken last time from this city in particular to become Bull priests. It is not official yet, but we are currently working on redefining religious rules, so no children can be taken as tribute or for sacrifice in name of any religion, for any purpose, and soon enough, only people to become bull priests, will be those who want to join the cult from time of their adulthood upwards, and they'll have option to leave it if they chose to later in life. In fact, there are many repressed religions still practiced in secrecy and harboring spite for empire, and the council's long term plan is of allowing religious freedom, so people do not have to follow Bull anymore if they do not prefer him, so you can say we are working on that too. There are many more things, and I am but a man of confidence in capital, not a councilor or lawmaker, so I know not everything, you see. The land is too big, for me whose job description it is not, to know each detail. I only know what my king and his friends confide in me when they bid me for advises. But what of you? What were things you planned to change in your land for the better, had you became ruler? What were your policies? Forgive me if I am rude, but it seems a little like you never really thought you'd be in predicament of this sort, and that you did not really put much thought into what would happen if you got what you wanted. Correct me if I am wrong. This may be your last chance to say it, if you had such aspirations, so maybe you should speak up fast - what would you have changed around here, had you been king? What did you plan to do to better your land? "

[Mirach]

"What is this, some kind of last wish thing you are proposing to fulfill me?" Senecio asked with some annoyance. "Well if you need to know, it's all nice what you are saying, but what people really need here is education. Therebare not enough schools, and only the rich families can afford to send their kids into one."

[VisAnastasis]

Erdel nodded. " I couldn't afford education, either. Orphanage did not have much books, and teachers mostly strive to get you to learn skills that could impress possible adopters, like playing instruments or reciting famous poetry. I only really started reading more books when I was in army, because I had free access to part of archives. Library card was way too expensive for me to waste money on even then.. I tried to save up, to send my daughter to school. Schools... Yes, it's good idea. Only school in capital that is free, is one for soldiers. If we don't have it already on our to do list, we'll look into it. " vampire said more quietly, and he turned to king then, wanting to see if king expected more from him, or had questions of his own, as for himself, it seemed quite pointless to argue with man that you had to drag your answers from.

[Mirach]

"That should be all," Svarik said. "Please call a guard to get him another dose of painkiller and then guard him in some locked room for the rest of the night."

[VisAnastasis]

Erdel nodded, and he took an actor under the arm, and he led him downstairs, to find him a room to spend the rest of the night in and guards to keep watchful eye over him.

[Mirach]

"Do we really need the guards?" Senecio asked him. "They are so dull... Ho about you let Tide guard me again?"

[VisAnastasis]

" Are you planning some malice again?" vampire asked him tiredly as they walked. "  Because, I will have to warm you, Tide is rather precious to me, and if you did something to him, I would be very  angry. So what is your plan this time? Befriend him like you befriended Lorenzo, and use him for something lowly just because of his good heart? Tell you some heart breaking lie to make him feel bad for you and help you escape? What evil has your mind conjured up this once? "

[Mirach]

"If you have to know, it's rather simple. Apparently I don't have that long to live anymore, so I would like to spend that time with someone who's not dull, if I can." Senecio said coldly.

[VisAnastasis]

" In a cosmic plan, I know I am making some terible mistake. You are mean, untrustworthy person. Tide is honest and kind. He can do better than you. He should not be allowed near you, especially  after you made his heart brake over fear for his nephew.... We will go ask him. If he refuses, you get the guards, if you hurt him, I cut of all your limbs and leave you to bleed to Death slowly in the pile of your own guts, law or no law." Erdel said matter of factly, as he went to Tide's room.

[Mirach]

"Sounds interesting," Sanecio smiled wryly.

[VisAnastasis]

They soon reached Tide's room. After allowed in, they entered. Demon looked rather weary and in pain, his hand finally bandaged anew, but since he used it so much, now very sore and hurting.
When he sow the actor, he seemed to get more distant and confused, appearing tense and wary of him.

( ooc: no news about the tablet yet?)