General's Office

barduwulf wrote:“If you want....” He said, pulling out a small tourism book “...we could talk about some lighter fare until the Empress arrives. For example, you might be surprised how many festivals we have here in Beijio. The stories I could tell from the last few summer festivals.” He chuckled, remembering a particular event.

Leiran looked up at him while he pulled out the tourism booklet. "Festivals...?" She asked, not sure how to proceed. She of course understood it was all part of the lighter fare, and she's been to many festivals in Fenira herself. She blinked at his fond tone. "Seems like you have many fond ones from your tone." She batted her long lashes, smiling gently.

“Yeah, fun was had. Was a lot less messy than nowadays. Those days even Sango joined in the revelry, before her husband passed.” He said, tone dimming a bit. “Things haven’t been the same since then....” he mumbled to himself.

barduwulf wrote:“Yeah, fun was had. Was a lot less messy than nowadays. Those days even Sango joined in the revelry, before her husband passed.” He said, tone dimming a bit. “Things haven’t been the same since then....” he mumbled to himself.

Leiran smiled at his nostalgia, before he mentioned the emperor's passing. She then frowned, and looked down at the glass of water he had presented her. "I see..." she idled, not sure if there were words she could say. Funny, here he is trying to make me feel better and I'm here trying to think of a way to comfort him! She closed her eyes at that, and giggled. Her cheerful giggle cut the silence like a hot knife through butter. "Forgive me, I just realized how silly I am." She says, wiping away some of her remaining tears, smiling. Her eyes reopened, and they look tired and sad, but she still smiled. "...the reason why I'm here is because Gilded Tree has betrayed Fenira, they staged a coup... and to the best of my knowledge, have slain every member of the Council of Magi, and the heirs to their position... our system of government if you may be aware." She gripped the glass tightly, but relaxed a little. "My mother was one of the Council. She sacrificed herself to... allow me an escape. I'm very much likely... the only heir left." She says, crying again, her eyes closed yet she refused to frown any longer.

“My condolences, that’s not something one really gets over.” He answered, remembering his own parents and their untimely passing. sunglasses adjust “For what small comfort it is, I have no doubt you would be approved for asylum, so this usurper faction wouldn’t likely try to come after you, lest they provoke the wrath of Beijio.” He opens a desk drawer, and pulls out a handkerchief, handing it to Leiran.

barduwulf wrote:“My condolences, that’s not something one really gets over.” He answered, remembering his own parents and their untimely passing. sunglasses adjust “For what small comfort it is, I have no doubt you would be approved for asylum, so this usurper faction wouldn’t likely try to come after you, lest they provoke the wrath of Beijio.” He opens a desk drawer, and pulls out a handkerchief, handing it to Leiran.

She blinked open her watery eyes, and grabs the handkerchief with a snuffle. "Th-thanks." she wiped away her tears before she continued. "Its appreciated... but I want to ask for Beijionese support. I am the future of the Council...and I'm not sure, but there could potentially be survivors. Its been a few days now though... so I cannot hold my breath."

[from here]

The woman followed the directions of the soldier below, and when she reached the second story, she turned and saw the door with the plaque reading "High General" upon the copper plate.

"There it is..." She took a step towards the door and knocked heavily upon it.

“Huh, strange” the general replied to the knock. “Doesn’t sound like anyone from the palace. Pardon me for a moment, Leiran.” He apologized, standing up, and opening the door, revealing a short yet curvacious young woman. “I’m assuming you are looking to speak with me on something?”

barduwulf wrote:“Huh, strange” the general replied to the knock. “Doesn’t sound like anyone from the palace. Pardon me for a moment, Leiran.” He apologized, standing up, and opening the door, revealing a short yet curvacious young woman. “I’m assuming you are looking to speak with me on something?”

The shift of sight down to her didn't bother the woman. "Forgive me for my unannounced arrival General, I hope I was not interrupting you." She spoke, removing her hood and showed off her face. She had a very beautiful face, with large red eyes and long dark lashes. Red hair in a pixie cut with swept bangs over her eyes and more noticeable was her horns which jutted out like a cow or bull.



"I am Lady Felnara Sturm of Fenira, I wondered if I could ask you a few questions, if you're not too busy." Felnara announced herself, her large red eyes turning to the girl sitting in the chair behind him briefly.

Leiran turned to the sound of the knock, and watched the General go to answer. She listened to the voice who spoke back, a cool and somewhat emotionless voice that had sounded familiar... She couldn't see the person in question as they must have been small, and Barduwulf was blocking her view of the new arrival.

“Fenira? Funny enough, you are the second person to come to me about this. I’m actually speaking with her right now, but if she doesn’t mind, you can come in, as there is much to discuss at current.” He turned back, no longer blocking the ladies’ view of one another. “Leiran, seems one of your countrywomen have come here as well.”

barduwulf wrote:“Fenira? Funny enough, you are the second person to come to me about this. I’m actually speaking with her right now, but if she doesn’t mind, you can come in, as there is much to discuss at current.” He turned back, no longer blocking the ladies’ view of one another. “Leiran, seems one of your countrywomen have come here as well.”

Felnara raised a brow, a look of confusion on her face. "...wait, someone else is looking for...?" She trailed off, as he side stepped, revealing the woman fully. She looked familiar, and the mention of the countrywoman bit made her realize where she'd seen her before. She looked like a younger Councilwoman Dashir, and in a sense, it was. She met the council countless times as Vice Knight Commander within Gilded Tree, and this woman before her was the Queztalcoatl of Fenira after all. She bowed her head slightly. "Ah, Lady Leiran, I take it you and Councilwoman Dashir are on holiday?" she asked.

Felnara Sturm wrote:

barduwulf wrote:“Fenira? Funny enough, you are the second person to come to me about this. I’m actually speaking with her right now, but if she doesn’t mind, you can come in, as there is much to discuss at current.” He turned back, no longer blocking the ladies’ view of one another. “Leiran, seems one of your countrywomen have come here as well.”

Felnara raised a brow, a look of confusion on her face. "...wait, someone else is looking for...?" She trailed off, as he side stepped, revealing the woman fully. She looked familiar, and the mention of the countrywoman bit made her realize where she'd seen her before. She looked like a younger Councilwoman Dashir, and in a sense, it was. She met the council countless times as Vice Knight Commander within Gilded Tree, and this woman before her was the Queztalcoatl of Fenira after all. She bowed her head slightly. "Ah, Lady Leiran, I take it you and Councilwoman Dashir are on holiday?" she asked.  

Leiran's eyes went wide upon seeing the Imp. She knew her... many did in Fenira, she was a noble flame magus who's family resided in the Cresthelm Estate, a large area east of the capital city. She was also a member of the same Gilded Tree guild that took over her country! She launched up from her chair, the seat falling and hitting the floor with a loud clack! She pointed at the woman, her hand on the hilt of the fire blade sheathed on her hip. "Y-you think that's funny?! Miserable Imp!" She drew her sword, fire spouting from the blade's shape illuminating the room with crackling flames. "She's with them! With Gilded Tree!" She shouted, her voice wavering like her stance. She was too weak to really fight, but she wasn't going down here, no sir! She would not let those bastards take her life!

Barduwulf put out his arms, one in front of each woman. “Whoa, hold up Leiran, third party here unaware of some details, and you’re both on foreign soil! Any sort of fighting from either of you is gonna get you in big trouble. Now, considering her tone, I don’t think Felnira here is aware of what has happened, so perhaps we should put away the sword, before things get messy.”

barduwulf wrote:Barduwulf put out his arms, one in front of each woman. “Whoa, hold up Leiran, third party here unaware of some details, and you’re both on foreign soil! Any sort of fighting from either of you is gonna get you in big trouble. Now, considering her tone, I don’t think Felnira here is aware of what has happened, so perhaps we should put away the sword, before things get messy.”

Felnara held the grip of her favorite blade when Leiran went for her sword. The Imp was calm, and her eyes lidded and annoyed. Sure, the upper echelon of Fenira had inferiority complexes and looked down on the other nobles or the lesser castes, she wasn't offended by such. But when you draw a sword on her, you best be ready to use it. However, Felnara could tell by Leiran's stance that she was too weak to be of much a threat, despite knowing she could be. Leiran carried the power of the extinct Queztalcoatl after all in her blood, like Fenira.



"Lady Leiran," she began, her tone calm and bored like her lidded gaze. "If you wish to fight, I shall accept your challenge, but as you stand now... or rather 'barely stand' you would not be worth the challenge I know you could be. Stand down, and sheath thy blade." Sturm warns, before turning her gaze upon the poor High General who was trying to keep them both from getting murdery. "You are perceptive General, I am quite out of the loop. What has Gilded Tree done to make her so on edge?" She asked. She had a sense of foreboding crawl under her skin now. This child normally wouldn't have done something so reckless, especially upon someone like Lady Sturm.

The general turned to Felnira and began to explain. “The Gilded Tree has staged a coup of the Feniran government. We’re gathering more information as is, but from Miss Leiran’s first person account, most of, if not the entire Council of Magi have been slain, and possibly their heirs. Leiran was only able to escape due to Councilwoman Dashir buying time with her own life. At current, Miss Leiran is the only known survivor of this purge, nor do we know the intent or goals of the Gilded Tree beyond the destruction of the previous government. As you identify as a member of the Gilded Tree, When was the last time you spoke to other members?”

Felnara Sturm wrote:

barduwulf wrote:Barduwulf put out his arms, one in front of each woman. “Whoa, hold up Leiran, third party here unaware of some details, and you’re both on foreign soil! Any sort of fighting from either of you is gonna get you in big trouble. Now, considering her tone, I don’t think Felnira here is aware of what has happened, so perhaps we should put away the sword, before things get messy.”

Felnara held the grip of her favorite blade when Leiran went for her sword. The Imp was calm, and her eyes lidded and annoyed. Sure, the upper echelon of Fenira had inferiority complexes and looked down on the other nobles or the lesser castes, she wasn't offended by such. But when you draw a sword on her, you best be ready to use it. However, Felnara could tell by Leiran's stance that she was too weak to be of much a threat, despite knowing she could be. Leiran carried the power of the extinct Queztalcoatl after all in her blood, like Fenira.



"Lady Leiran," she began, her tone calm and bored like her lidded gaze. "If you wish to fight, I shall accept your challenge, but as you stand now... or rather 'barely stand' you would not be worth the challenge I know you could be. Stand down, and sheath thy blade." Sturm warns, before turning her gaze upon the poor High General who was trying to keep them both from getting murdery. "You are perceptive General, I am quite out of the loop. What has Gilded Tree done to make her so on edge?" She asked. She had a sense of foreboding crawl under her skin now. This child normally wouldn't have done something so reckless, especially upon someone like Lady Sturm.

Leiran looked over at Barduwulf worryingly, then to Sturm. Her body quivered with fear and exhaustion. "But... she's with them General, what... she's a demon, they're good at lies! What if she's just waiting for me to let my guard down?" She asked, worried. She backed up a little, not sure what to do... then decided, if she was going to die they'd have to go through the general first. She backed around the General, before slowly, sheathing her flaming sword. She grabbed hold of the General's shoulders, hiding behind his back, only peeking out over the side slightly at the Imp. "...I'll back down, but you'll have to go through him if you want to kill me traitor! And if you injure him, Beijio will go to war with your traitorous kin!" She cried, her eyes tightly shut, squeezing the General's shoulders as she hid behind him. Lady Sturm was right, she was too weak to fight someone like her, even Bard could tell by how weakly she clung to his back.

Leiran wrote:
Leiran looked over at Barduwulf worryingly, then to Sturm. Her body quivered with fear and exhaustion. "But... she's with them General, what... she's a demon, they're good at lies! What if she's just waiting for me to let my guard down?" She asked, worried. She backed up a little, not sure what to do... then decided, if she was going to die they'd have to go through the general first. She backed around the General, before slowly, sheathing her flaming sword. She grabbed hold of the General's shoulders, hiding behind his back, only peeking out over the side slightly at the Imp. "...I'll back down, but you'll have to go through him if you want to kill me traitor! And if you injure him, Beijio will go to war with your traitorous kin!" She cried, her eyes tightly shut, squeezing the General's shoulders as she hid behind him. Lady Sturm was right, she was too weak to fight someone like her, even Bard could tell by how weakly she clung to his back.

Felnara found this peculiar, as the Councilwoman to be called her a traitor and hid behind the General's back like a coward. "Traitor...? You are the one pointing a blade at me..." she says with annoyance, and not only for the jabs of her demonic heritage. "I'm also part dwarf... so that you know." she says with a sigh. "I'm not going to kill anyone, not yet. I will if I'm not let in on the loop..." she added, sighing impatiently.

barduwulf wrote:The general turned to Felnara and began to explain. “The Gilded Tree has staged a coup of the Feniran government. We’re gathering more information as is, but from Miss Leiran’s first person account, most of, if not the entire Council of Magi have been slain, and possibly their heirs. Leiran was only able to escape due to Councilwoman Dashir buying time with her own life. At current, Miss Leiran is the only known survivor of this purge, nor do we know the intent or goals of the Gilded Tree beyond the destruction of the previous government. As you identify as a member of the Gilded Tree, When was the last time you spoke to other members?”

She turned her attention from Leiran's peeking face to the General's solemn one. She blinked at his retelling of the events and was somewhat disturbed. "...I see. What a bother." She closed her eyes, sighing. "I haven't been in Fenira for a little over a month, I've been on a... trip of sorts." Felnara began. She opened her eyes and looked into the Generals. "I was the Order's Vice Knight Commander, but I haven't spoken with any of my Gilded Tree mates since I retired. I retired two years ago, after having a falling out with the Guild Master... we had different ideas on corporal punishment..." she says with a low tone.

“It would seem the guild master had some more... violent goals than the guild members originally assumed.” He mused aloud, before turning back to Leiran. “Leiran, I can understand your frustration, but by her own admission she had left the Gilded Tree two years prior, likely before any plans at a coup were formed.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “For now, it’s best you focus on your recovery. There will be much work in the following days, and Fenira will need you at full capacity. Attacking someone without provocation will just set you back further.”

barduwulf wrote:“It would seem the guild master had some more... violent goals than the guild members originally assumed.” He mused aloud, before turning back to Leiran. “Leiran, I can understand your frustration, but by her own admission she had left the Gilded Tree two years prior, likely before any plans at a coup were formed.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “For now, it’s best you focus on your recovery. There will be much work in the following days, and Fenira will need you at full capacity. Attacking someone without provocation will just set you back further.”

Leiran took a moment to absorb this, before easing her grip. "...I..I suppose you're right." she turns to the Imp, and bows respectfully. "Forgive my actions Lady Sturm I shouldn't have acted so quickly..."

barduwulf wrote:“It would seem the guild master had some more... violent goals than the guild members originally assumed.” He mused aloud, before turning back to Leiran. “Leiran, I can understand your frustration, but by her own admission she had left the Gilded Tree two years prior, likely before any plans at a coup were formed.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “For now, it’s best you focus on your recovery. There will be much work in the following days, and Fenira will need you at full capacity. Attacking someone without provocation will just set you back further.”

Sturm blinked, and looked away from both of them. She had a slightly annoyed look on her face. "Actually... it was the other way around." She sighed. She wanted to be truthful after all.



Her garnet eyes glanced back to them, her expression back to its stern look once more. "But I did leave on my own accord, and have no reason to rejoin the order."

Leiran wrote:
Leiran took a moment to absorb this, before easing her grip. "...I..I suppose you're right." she turns to the Imp, and bows respectfully. "Forgive my actions Lady Sturm I shouldn't have acted so quickly..."

Sturm turned sharply to Leiran. "No. You should be on edge, you just escaped an execution. But know you are safe on foreign soil, Gilded Tree is a powerful guild, but they would not be stupid to incite a war by killing you over here. If they are aware of your survival, they will assume you have went to Scardia, here, or the ADN for help, so my guess is they're coming up with a public relations story to explain their actions to all of Galiavan. I find it concerning, that they had not released a statement sooner... it makes you wonder what if they had been successful in killing you milady." She suggests, hinting that Gilded Tree may have more plans than simply flipping Feniran politics onto its ass. The other nations should watch with a closer eye...

She raised a brow. "...I suppose I could offer you safe harbor in Cresthelm. Its my family's land, and as a noble you should be protected there." She offers, but then: "However... I did not come here due to court intrigue in Fenira..."

“Then what brought you, is there trouble in Cresthelm?” He inquired, then gestures to the desk. Perhaps we should all sit back down and discuss further, if neither of you mind sharing.”

Leiran half chuckled nervously. "Scary as the rumors say..." She says with sweat rolling down her cheek, before the invitation was brought up. She found it odd, but she supposed it would make sense if and when she returned to Fenira. But then she grew curious as well, why the Imp was there. She quietly walked over to her seat and put it back upright before retaking her seat.

Felnara shook her head. "No. As I said, I haven't been in Fenira for at least a month, a little over to be honest." She reiterated, before relaxing her hand from her blade, and shrugged. "My business shouldn't take too long, I only ask if you seen Leland McKelly around here lately. I was told he was headed out this way. Did I miss him, or is he still in the city?" She asked.

“Leland? Yeah, he was in my office a little while ago, was heading to check on the Empress for me. He’ll be bringing her back to my office soon enough, so you can either wait here, or head to the infirmary to find him before he comes back, depending on the urgency.” Huh, guess he asked her to meet him here. Odd, never mentioned her.

barduwulf wrote:“Leland? Yeah, he was in my office a little while ago, was heading to check on the Empress for me. He’ll be bringing her back to my office soon enough, so you can either wait here, or head to the infirmary to find him before he comes back, depending on the urgency.” Huh, guess he asked her to meet him here. Odd, never mentioned her.

Leiran blinked. She heard the name before. "Leland McKelly... isn't he a hero from the war 18 years ago, like you, General?" She asked.