"Mono/Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
Narration
[Message/communication apparatus]
Date: November 1091
Location: Section 72 High-Security Internment Block, Kawalerielki, Kazimierz.
POV: Narrator
The high-security prison, often derided for its failing prestige, is still one of the most important facilities of the Capital of Kazimierz. Yet, this very pce has become a den where no inmates or jailors may breathe openly. Among the already few notorious criminals or dangerous persons of interest, one stood out.
That person is the Grey Serpent and she is… quiet.
No words, stirring, blinking, humming, nothing at all.
She was the sole convicted, after decades, that has been escorted with her complement of watchdogs and watchers… no, not even that, these capable personnel, and some even hailing from a long-ended war, are deemed as a sufficient speed bump to protect Kazimierz’s interest. She is a person who entangled herself with national safety and has been accused of a national security breach. She is a person who carved her name by which blood writ along the many battlefields she treads.
Here she is now. Quiet.
So, unbelievably, quiet.
It is not a pce where one could be noisy, that’s true… but this time, the very air seems to submerge deeper into the frigid cold. It started with an unsettling gush of wind, or perhaps a drop in temperature, but that’s not what it is, no. The cause for this unsettling feeling was not something so intangible. It very much concrete, real, and undeniable.
Her complementary watchers, courtesy of the National Council and were tasked to do everything they could if Nyx attempted any jailbreak, had long since finished writing down whatever will they had left. All 10 former campaign knights, bought to be under the service of many feuding sub-factions, and 40 military police equivalents are on high alert to keep their eyes on the Grey Serpent who sat in her cell in total silence.
At first, with uneasy feeling, then it began deteriorating.
One of them sensed their nerves afme with fright as if an unseen predator was stalking from the unknown veil between reality and oblivion. Others found themselves trembling despite their mundane watch, be it when using the remote, making coffee, or reading books… everyone stops to watch their body singing in horror of danger they could not fathom; a fear of the unknown. It was a sudden and unsubtle shift.
This culminated when they noticed the carefree, uninterested, and bored Grey Serpent slowly rose from her back. Now, she sat there in silence with her eyes hidden from the world that held its breath. All was clear, and they sprang into motion to prepare for what might become a walking catastrophe waking up from its slumber. Their leader swallowed his pooling saliva and hardened his heart as he stepped in front of her.
When he stops perfectly still; or perhaps frozen still. He gazes at two glowing, blood red, eyes.
To put what he feels into words would be a giant serpent coiling noisily because of its scales grinding upon one another. Messy but rhythmical grinding of scales made of steel, and hisses of venom with fangs drenched to the brim. A serpent that found prey but toyed with it, pnning and waiting for the right time to strike. That’s what he sees.
“Was there a problem, Lady Grey Serpent?” Spoken with ample cadence that belied taut nerves and bring instinct, he pushed his pleading senses while one of his hands rested over his bde. He starts praying she continues to stare at him with those blood-red eyes.
Nyx blinked, and those blood-red eyes vanished as if it never existed. A tiny part of him wondered if that even happened, but it’s just that tiny, human curiosity, part. With her arms crossed, palms grasping upon her elbows, at st, she spoke.
“… If you want to know, just take it that I have a… nagging feeling… A personal matter, and no more than that.” Nyx uttered in her casual calm, ft, and tone people used to hear. Yet even he, and everyone for that matter, notices all her hisses invading through each sylble. The deep and venomous hissing of a serpent disturbed from its sleep.
“If there is something you need, we are ordered to accommodate it as best as we could. Your status is still that of a suspect, but it is undeniable what you have done for Kazimierz and the people. We are merely ensuring that no one shall disturb you during this… critical moment.” The Grey Serpent refused to affirm or deny his words, her only answer was that of narrowed eyes.
“…and to treat one of Kazimier-”
“The Grey Serpent who regards Kazimierz fondly left with Schnitz and Yonta Nearl, the woman in your eyes is nothing more than a professional catastrophe messenger.” He cmmed up and the younger securities began trembling on their sword arm, an instinctual effect that was burrowed deep inside their psyche.
Many might have reservations about what they think of her, and there are surely those who talk in unfttering manners ripe with gossip… but that’s when they are not face-to-face. Nyx drummed her fingers on her elbow and tilted her head to urge the man for an answer.
“… duly noted, is there anything we can do? Aside from letting you out.” He tried to py off a joke. Unsurprisingly, no one ughed and he could even feel his colleagues drilling holes with their eyes on him.
“You can start with preparing for a guest.”
“Guest?” A question that was soon answered when the special cell was opened from the outside. A slick-haired older man stepped inside with a smile on his face. Neither he nor his men recognized him, but Nyx does.
“Start talking, bitching, or whatever, Seweryn, my patience is running thin.”
“And pleased to meet you again. I must say that my work in Columbia has been a fruitful endeavor. However, let me make it clear first. Miscommunication can be fatal.” Seweryn handed over a sealed envelope to the security chief who took it with puzzlement.
He opened it and read the content, his expression changing from confusion to crity, and immediately became horror. He briskly walked to a separate room to ascertain the document’s validity, leaving his subordinates in an even higher tension.
“Want to take a gander?” the former Spokesman approached the gring Grey Serpent unperturbed at the sharpness of her stare. In a way, her unspoken skepticism reminds him of the past. Nyx had changed from that capable and deadly mercenary into a literal incarnation of localized or small-scale manmade catastrophe.
“Before I answer, can I get a phone call to someone?” Nyx utters nonchantly as she rips through her jail cell. She's going to pay for that, but honestly, money is a non-issue to her. The securities are simply aghast that she can tear through 2 yers of steel bars. Seweryn is amused at her raw power.
The Grey Serpent is inside the jail cell simply because she chooses to.
“Of course, to whom?” Seweryn quirked his brow with interest, seeing how these retively ordinary people still try to surround Nyx. They are scared shitless, but credit where it is due.
“Who? An annoying old acquaintance…” Nyx scoffed before finishing her words.
“Also one of the few people who can match my archery, blow for blow.”
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Ioletta tapped her fingers on the table with impatience bleeding through each motion. Beside her would be Nelka still in her wheelchair who had just briefed her on what was going on by the border. Suffice it to say the Grandmaster wasn’t thrilled at the slightest possibility of an open war with Ursus.
“You said that we lost contact with Silvernces at Wdirosa, along with several listening posts around the border? Simultaneously at that?” A grim expression shows on her face. Ioletta wondered just how this situation kept spiraling down the gutter.
‘Goodness, gracious… I need a vacation… preferably a whole month…’ Ever since she took the office, headache has become her unwanted dance partner. Ioletta would have gotten mad if not for her circle and stepdaughter’s continued support.
“Indeed, while I do not have the slightest concern about the Silvernces’ skills, the people of Wdirosa are still that, people. If worse comes to worse… it will…” Nelka bit back those nightmarish words. She doesn’t like how rattled she is, and how fearful she becomes when the communication line is cut off.
She began regretting those nobles who had once left Wdirosa to fend for themselves before the war of 72, Nelka started to feel the immense pressure of being blinded from information. It is one thing if it’s just her life, but now she shared the weight of decisions where thousands, and millions if she counts Kazimierz as a whole, will be affected by her choice.
“Do you have any assets to spare? With how much we are under scrutiny, moving my people along the border is not negotiable. Those incoherent vultures keep blocking and impeding our national interest.” Nelka knitted her brows from her words but pressed on as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
“My assets were mobilized to the very limit. The test report had indeed confirmed the movement and shifting of armies and ndbattleship from Ursus. They are currently within their border, but close enough that should they choose to invade, we will be overwhelmed.”
“Something must have gone wrong, terribly so.” The older woman sighed as she read the test report about sightings of ndbattleship and alleged sentry or patrolling detachment of Ursus Empire commencing reconnaissance-in-force. Ioletta thinks back on separate alliances the Adeptus and K.G.C.C. had undertaken, but invoking them will be costly if handled carelessly.
She thinks hard and why is everything escating so chaotically fast. Surely, Ursus won’t just invade without reason?
‘No, not without reason, they are waiting on how Margaret shall move… what must I do? I cannot fail Kiril… not again…’
“This is illogical, even if the nobles have that impressionable Emperor’s influence restrained, commencing another invasion so soon and when there are many international tourists in our border is just asking for censure.” Nelka gave her opinion on the matter. She wondered if Nyx’s lingering habit of turning bad luck and blowing it unto catastrophic proportion had reared its ugly head.
“We also have yet to uncover the one responsible that leaked or intercepted the report Nyx tried to inform us. Again, that part of her has been truly illogical as well… She’s not prone to make such an amateurish mistake to not prepare a contingency for a multitude of scenarios.” Ioletta's gaze is moving forward but her tone is sharp when she addresses the Adeptus Interior Secretary.
One of her hands lingered upon a hidden button to turn up the camera and audio recording inside the room. Whatever she is going to say next warrants that much precaution. Nelka noticed the shift in the air and straightened up her posture despite her body’s protest.
“… What have you created with Nyx? This… Cordelia… it is a company of hers, isn’t it?” The Interior Secretary wasn’t perturbed with that point-bnk accusation. Nelka paused. Her brain whirred through a thousand words, and what was there to choose?
Her friend’s trust and secret or state security and duty.
Contrary to what is brewing inside her assistant’s mind, Ioletta is truly curious. The Grandmaster of Adeptus Sprawiedliwi had known that Nyx must have stored or invested her capital somewhere, which doesn’t take much brainpower to ponder. This Pythia had indeed engaged in business, illicit or not, it will be a challenging task to completely conceal her wealth because that’s just unlike her.
Nyx and Cordelia have been instrumental in helping the outlying rebuilding, and she must admit that their flexibility to act made her envious.
“Cordelia is a pleasant corporation to work with, their ties to varying arms manufacturers had allowed the Adeptus under my control to quietly enter the modernization phase beneath notice. Adeptus used them, and they used us. A simple transaction with the only interest being how much we are willing to trade influences.” Ioletta pondered out loud.
What she doesn’t understand is how Nyx brazenly lets everything burn at this moment. She could have easily pooled her favors and pulled out of the prison under the many legally distinct contracts to circumvent her hardship. Nyx is throwing all her hard work of keeping the power in bance… except she is not looking for one. What if this is built for something greater? The future, perhaps?
Ioletta had seen the reports, the way how megacorporation moguls and big-name businessmen were terminating contracts with the Grey Serpent left and right the longer she lingered in prison. Even if she has yet to be sentenced, having an entire National Council breathing down her neck is more or less an admission of being an enemy of the state.
Cordelia, while terminating contracts too, is still closer to her by comparison, but they too suffer some stink eyes. It is but a matter of time on how long they can py the fool… or that’s what she wants?
‘Did she perhaps wish for all the important eyes on her? What is she going to unveil next?’ She can try to theorize many outndish ideas that… gain traction and credibility if it concerns Nyx. Regardless of those, she patiently waited for Nelka to give her an answer or not. Her long silence almost made the former Campaign Knight ugh, the farm girl is still quite wet behind the ears when it comes to politics.
Said farm girl on the other hand…
‘Why and how could you hide so many things from us? I have no problem if you find me untrustworthy, but when presented with fragmented information I’m just lost. I cannot formute contingencies like you do, I’m just a run-of-the-mill bureaucrat all things considered.’
Nelka won’t lie that the idea of betraying the Grey Serpent’s trust is beyond appalling, and she would rather chop off her legs and eat them raw. The problem starts when Nyx never insinuates anything about what she, Jan, and even her own adopted daughter, should do.
Is this neglect or affection and trust? It gives her very conflicting ideas on what this woman capable of upending the status quo had aimed for. This is too much for being a one-woman stage…
‘Grey Serpent should surely know about Margaret’s intention to leave the Adeptus earlier than me, so what does she want? Was it some sort of test so she could choose her partner for another scheme? Does Nyx want me to choose the route or did she want me to… dance to her tune?’
That is if she thinks it is just Nyx pying the game, but looking at the signs, foreign actors exist. But this many pawns and with many uncertain pyers just stressed her to no end. She is still recovering, her body often screams in pain that makes her wish to kill herself, and now she is presented with a choice.
‘Had I been always maniputed or did Nyx tinker on how to move based on cards dealt upon her hands? What kind of sick games did I find myself in?’
Inhaling a deep lungful of air, Nelka answers.
“That will be correct but inaccurate, Nyx had only asked me to handle the paperwork of a new company that desired a chance to conduct business… I learned a deeper truth about it way ter that she’s more involved than anything… I had just crossed her trust, and I thought that I could control information…” The Older Kuranta watches as her assistant, and perhaps protégé, wilt and hold herself from breaking down.
If she was employed anywhere else, Nelka would have been a subject of ridicule for her hesitation. Her ideas and confidence shall forever be under doubt, but to her this girl is enviable. She is still retively free to pursue her path compared to the many choices she has made, and more will come.
“You’re still na?ve… cherish it well…” Nelka's bitter chuckles were enough, she chose duty and Ioletta didn’t know what sort of raging maelstrom was brewing in her. However, she is certainly grateful to have someone who can logically think about the bigger picture.
As impudent, shameless, and ungrateful as it sounds, Ioletta can only hope that Nyx will forgive her distressed best friend. If push comes to shove, it will be much better to have her wrath directed in the Grandmaster’s direction. Nelka is too valuable for Kazimierz, there will be little reason to cut a small tree to nourish a dying tree.
Until that day comes, however, Ioletta will keep walking on this path to find a way so Adeptus won’t be reduced and besmirched even further. How they proceed is still open, but how much she is willing to bet is the problem.
Thus she ponders on with a hand beneath her jaw, leaving her assistant to sort herself out.
‘It is very unusual to pine my choice on mere guess… but I won’t lie that Nyx has become very hands-off with our lives. Even when she admonished and tried to protect her daughter, she never denied nor said anything to alter the course. If anything, she shows greater fear of arresting our choices and lives…’ Such an idea is pguing Nelka’s mind.
Nyx is a walking contradiction, seemingly hell-bent on presenting the truth in naked form, but if she looks at how she acts, that won’t make any sense. The Grey Serpent prefers to be used, and then react. Yet if she keeps doing that more people will be in harm’s way because those who can’t mind their businesses will salivate at this chance.
‘This time, she is seemingly giving people excuses to cut her off… hmm… Did something so drastic happen that instead of trying to be in control, Nyx decided to just advise and revise her move from the side based on ours? There are so many holes for those lines of thinking, or perhaps some capricious hand of fates handles how it goes?’
Another opinion formed inside her mind, no matter how incredulous that sounds. This also brought to mind her work back in Kazdel, which she had gleaned from the papers about that battle. It has been hidden from the National Council, and perhaps K.G.C.C. has its sources too anyway.
‘Kazdel… just what happened to her afterward? Almost feels like she is trying to defend something by… wait… hang on…’ Nelka’s shocked and distressed expression piqued Ioletta’s interest.
“Something on your mind?” Her query jolts Nelka awake from her delirium.
“Lady Ioletta, I might have found a tread to entangle all these messy and radical ideas. It will be very brazen of me, truth be told…”
“Oh?”
“From how she acts, what she chooses to sacrifice, and just how much control she has on her own company… It might be a deliberate move to wipe the ste clean?”
“… Are you implying that Nyx is permitting all these as nothing more than a false self-sabotage? If so, what will it accomplish? I will never cim to be omnipotent and all-knowing, but Nyx looks like she is filing blindly in the dark.” Ioletta’s brows furrowed deeply, but thinking about it logically… That is not the most outndish idea.
“That is not out of the question, but what I was more concerned about is that she is losing ground from the inside.”
“Hmm… Cordelia is slowly slipping away from her grasp, or is there a deeper py at hand?”
“This might be very controversial but I think… I think that… Nyx tried to damage the standings of both K.G.C.C. and Adeptus for” Not even a second ter, Ioletta uttered her harsh rebuke.
“While I understand your interest in ensuring the stability and safety of Kazimierz, I do not take lightly of you insulting the one who saved me; saved us and the Silvernces. From my point of view to serve Kazimierz's interest, I appud your courage but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Nelka cmmed up and waited until Ioletta’s tranquil fury slowly dissipated. The Interior Secretary eyed her superior’s clenched hands, enough that it was even a shade paler than before.
“Expin yourself, and be warned that while she will most likely forgive your suspicion, I will always remember it.” After resigning her temper, Ioletta exhales. Perhaps the stress of trying to keep those ‘colleagues’ of hers from gaining custody of Nyx finally vented through that small pse.
“… First, about the gathering of mercenaries. If Nyx ever wanted to pose any harm to Kazimierz, she is more than intimately knowledgeable about the terrain. She hampered an entire army by her lonesome, and that was when she had yet to gain her fame.”
“Indeed, I was surprised at how much damage she can inflict on unsuspecting enemies… Ah, I see your point. Nyx meticulously drafted each mission and contact she had formed when she helmed the operation.”
“Now, if we look parse all avaible information we have in our database, those missions are primarily nd inspections and search for those manmade bombs. It is not for public consumption, but let’s be frank here… this imprisonment might have jeopardized her pre-determined action instead.” Ioletta sees numerous problems already.
She thinks back on how Catastrophe Messenger while having branches, is outsourced workers most of the time. It is not out of the question that bad apples exist, and those types of people will certainly trade information for their gain. Information about those improvised Originium weapons, if they had leaked to the masses, even when secured and defused, would have caused mass panic… nothing of the sort happened.
“Continue…”
“Second, we are not sure about where Nyx stood, but she deliberately made herself suspicious. Nyx I was familiar with won’t be staying in one pce and sitting on her chair scheming whatever overly complicated master pns like that. I dare wager she is baiting us all to focus on what is her move… she is taking attention off from Margaret.”
“You implied how the National Council had potentially impeded her moves. Either everything is falling apart and Nyx lost interest in the result or she has more cards to py. No matter where it goes, it will be troublesome.”
“Indeed, then came the third point… If Nyx wanted to organize a py to protect the Nearls, I fail to see how she still dared to come onto their crosshair. Not only did she deliberately stay out of reach just far enough, but also brazenly admitted to having ulterior motives.” Nelka schooled her expression further.
“Margaret’s handling can be a controversy on its own. If we do nothing, the radicals and extremists shall start a civil war. If we mishandle it, Adeptus will lose ground in the National Council… so what if Nyx deliberately creates an even bigger controversy? Look at her, and no matter how hard she hides it, she is at peace of being vilified.” She presses on, this time trying to look for positives.
“Conversely, Nyx had freed herself from corporate meddling. Even if no one believes it, she will most likely turn to Cordelia and lie that she has no deeper ties. Nyx had been steadily keeping her end of the bargain with K.G.C.C. and Adeptus. She has been very cooperative, and her public PR, while not the best, is certainly sensational and the people love it.” She ends her opinion firmly with a daring conclusion.
“Nyx had known that Ursus is on the move, the existence of Originium improvised as a weapon, feeding people’s attention on her… and she uses them to her benefit.”
They are silent. No words; nothing. That idea was presented in such a ghastly and unbelievable series of coincidences that won’t be coincidences if everything is part of a rge scheme.
“… I always dreaded what she would look like if she is just a tad more selfish… appears even I can’t fathom the depths of her insanity if she thinks it could work.” A bitter smile graces her lips as she reminisces how her friend found herself ensnared within a deeper web back when she escorted Viviana to be under her custody.
‘Should I invite her to a te-night drink? No, wait… Nyx has a horrible alcohol tolerance…’ Her pondering was interrupted by the intercom’s announcement.
[Lady Grandmaster, I apologize for the interruption but Lord Kiril has arrived.]
“… I see, usher him inside immediately.” Ioletta communicated through her gaze for Nelka to prepare the necessary arrangement. They have been waiting for him to make a move, and it appears they are right on the money. Nyx’s case and, as much as Nelka loathe it, Wdirosa can wait too.
The door was opened to show a weakened but steely-eyed man walking with a cane in hand. Kiril waived the Adeptus’ staff concern and continued on his own. Ioletta stood up while Nelka straightened her back.
“We have been expecting you.” The Grandmaster motioned him to sit and Kiril nodded. He seats himself in the opposite. The man has certainly seen better days, and his mild coughing interspersed his voice as he settles and steady his breathing
“Indeed… I’m here to… discuss Margaret’s future…”
[END OF CHAPTER]
Author’s Note:
Yo there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who is still stressed.
We are back to dealing with some minor parts on the political side of things. Kiril finally made his move to save both his granddaughter and try to alleviate the problems within his faction.
Kiril is still Adeptus aligned after all, but I guess the many failings make it hard to deal with their differences. Oh yeah, if you know how it ends up, it will be as the canon timeline suggests but with extra spices.
Honestly, I have nothing else to say so… yeah…
Update number 1
Ciao
