The Grassy Knoll.
"What did you mean by-" Moriella approached the Elder to ask but was silenced by the appearance of the captain who had just began advancing towards them with a glowing tablet in his hands. Behind him the backdrop of a grassy plain could be seen, going all the way as far as the eye could see to the north and in the south. To the west, it still flowed, but up to a dark edge, a line of trees that greeted their eyes even as they stood high on that grassy knoll that carried the remnants of Havillah's particular energy. The Captain was bringing them an update. They knew and for a moment Moriella pushed aside her questions for the much anticipated information on the whereabouts of her friend Havillah.
"You were right my Lady." The young Captain began to say as Cjaira tried but failed to choke back a snort at the way he was now addressing their elder Tamaar. She could not understand the reasoning behind the sudden shift when all along he had been okay with addressing her as madam, the weird human expression that she had heard being thrown around around their command centre. Not that Elder Tamaar had minded, but it made Cjaira wonder. What were his intentions and what designs did he have now that he was sucking up to their good elder? Cjaira's suspicions grew pushing back the momentarily amusement that she had felt at his awkwardness on saying those words. "We were able to track the patterns all the way to the edge of that forest and then after that the tracks goes cold. As it is, we have no pillars out there, seeing as it no longer our territory. However, if we chose to go close enough we can attempt to send in our surveillance drones." The man continued after a moment of hesitating and it pleased Cjaira to know that she affected him so.
A forest. So, that was what was at the dark edge she had been seeing at the end of that grassy plain. Cjaira mused even as her thoughts went back to her friend and the puzzle of who it was that could have been helping her. She did not appear like she was even capable of it, but like Moriella even she could think. That is if she put her mind and effort into it and avoided being distracted. Cjaira's eyes went to Havillah's mother then to Moriella. She wondered what they were thinking what with the stern looks that were forever on their faces. Did they even understand half of that jargon the man was spewing? Drones? What on earth was that? She didn't ask though for fear of looking less intimidating. If the other two that were with her would not question the intentions of this seemingly very helpful man, then she would make sure to worry enough for the three of them. For for all she knew, Havillah was all alone, with the odds of meeting other banished being so low, there was no way she would have found other strangers to help her in a land that was filled with terrors and mostly desolate. Either way, it still bothered Cjaira that Havillah had wandered this far and from the only people that knew her? Her rescuing of the Captain must have at least meant something to these people, right? She could only hope so even as her eyes trailed over to the arrogant sergeant who seemed to be watching their group with a hint of annoyance and disgust in her eyes. They had to have at least been grateful otherwise, who knew what the three of them, by trusting them, were walking into. Maybe there was a good reason why Havillah had ran away and Cjaira hated to think that by doing this, they were helping Havillah's enemies head straight to her.
"I just have to ask good Captain." Cjaira began unable to restrain herself from sounding domineering. "What happened between Havillah and her? She does not seem to be too happy with what we are doing here."
"Yes Captain. Please do explain that to us." Moriella added to Cjaira's surprise. It seemed that, for once the two of them were thinking the same thing. Unknowingly, her lips curled up into a sinister grin.
"Cjaira!" The Elder Tamaar scolded. "But do tell us Captain. What did my daughter do to offend her so?"
"It's a long story..." The captain began to say. A hand found its way to his scalp as he began to scratch his head, seemingly in deep contemplation probably wondering wether he should tell them or not. Or maybe he was figuring out how best to lie to them but either way, he was doing a poor job of keeping his emotions from his face. Emotions that were filled with much guilt. In reality though Killion was wondering how much he could disclose especially concerning his own family's involvement without breaking diplomacy. There was no way around it, if the woman was really a Clairvoyant and therefore he decided to go with the truth. That was safer than risking being called a liar and well, losing their trust. "Well...you know women-" he began awkwardly and Cjaira could not help but deadpan. What was this man talking about? What was that even supposed to mean? The three of them were women and from the looks on the others faces she could tell that they were also not quite getting it. " -I mean...women stuff." He quickly corrected, stuttering knowing fully well that he had just made matters worse.
"Captain. Why don't you just go on and tell us the truth?" Despite the Captain's futile attempts at evading the question, the Elder smiled seemingly amused by his show of awkwardness. "I know that you don't have any ill intent towards my daughter. If anything it could very well be the opposite, but to sate Moriella and Cjaira's curiosity, then I think that they need to hear the whole truth from you. "
"And you don't?" The ever obnoxious Cjaira asked, but Tamaar just smiled.
"I have my ways." Was her only reply causing Cjaira to roll her eyes before turned those flaming green on the captain and his much duller ones.
"Well?" She prodded him.
"Well...you see Calla here has always been a little jealous of Havillah and the attention she was getting, but ai assure she's not all that bad." he was quick to defend, "For the longest time Sergeant Barrageway has been ranking top among the few women we have in the Hub, all the others being with command system while she was the only soldier. However, when Havillah came around and took her place among our ranks although not officially, everyone on Bethesda began looking at her as the hero."
"Hero?Just for saving you?" Moriella questioned.
"No. Not entirely. She was also very instrumental in ridding us of the dragon menace. We think she might have done it for good since nothing has been spotted ever since. Either way, knowingly or unknowingly, she has saved alot of lives."
"How could she do that? She had no Virtue since was banished and Havillah is no warrior." Cjaira bristled but the captain remained unfazed. Once he had started talking, all the restrictions seemed to have fallen away and he was now having a much easier time explaining things.
"According to Gabriel, when he found Havillah, her robes were all black. As black as the night when the terrors attacked her. Somehow, Havillah's aura flaired up and the light she emitted saved the two of them and apparently the whole town from that basilik menace. When they came to us, she was flying the boat and her robes were still black but with the golden embroidery had seen earlier on them shining through."
"When she had rescued you?" Moriella inquired.
"Quite so. After that she carried our entire frigate ship to shore and on arrival we were greeted by the astounding scene of watching her robes change colour. It was like blood had melded with the black ink before it finally seeped through and overcame the ink. At first we thought she was wounded but as it settled to a bright red with a glossy sheen, I realised that it was the same colour I had last seen her in. "
"How? But she was banished?" Cjaira remarked even as she grew increasingly suspicious of the Captain's words.
"How big is a frigate ship?"
"At the moment it had a crew of about fifty people but it can definately carry more. That is including weapons and ammunitions. This particular ship had four decks so it is quite huge. She used a crystal to carry it, attached at to the helm of the ship she linked it with her mind to the wheel so we could continue to steer even as she went about her business." He explained even as Tamaar seemed to launch herself into deep thought. Seeing how she was taking the matter seriously, Cjaira panicked at the thought that, this soldier could somehow have fooled her. For a banished could not wield any Virtue let alone create a Hope Crystal. No one even on Triberias could do that.
"My Lady, you can't possibly-" she was cut off even as the elder continued to ask another question.
"What colour are they now?" Tamaar asked him and Killion smiled knowing that he had been right in guessing that the colours of these robes was somehow important to these Great.
"The last time I saw her, Red."
"Interesting, somehow she managed to reinstate herself." Tamaar remarked even as Killion stared on, watching as the trio began discussing among them themselves, unable to understand what the lady or the rest were gushing about.