Birds of a Feather. [Stefan, Brenner, Florian]

[Florian]

FLORIAN

Florian quietly exhaled. "Long version it is." He had told Stefan the short version on the Nachtherr, before they had even arrived in Zaichaer, but there were so many details he left out. He leaned back against the desk a bit, but he held his hand on the back of his neck. A few moments passed as he gathered how — where to begin the story.

"It started with a tower. Somewhat near Kalzasi, though I had no real concept of where it was when I left, I took the train to Shemashk and went from there. It called to me. I don't know why, but when I arrived...nothing happened." He scratched his neck and moved his hand to his side where it fiddled with the edge of the desk. "Nothing happened. I didn't talk to anyone. So I got on the train and came home. I never even made it to the city, but as soon as I was in Zaichaeri territory a man from the Order came and offered me the choice that I could die then and there or I could die later." He gripped the desk. "This was Ash...63rd, I think.

"I chose to die later. You know, take my chances instead of a caster shell to the head on a train. They gave me some vile concoction and three days later I woke up in some black site, some laboratory led by a Dr. Constantine. It was a nice room for what they did, honestly. I was there for 22 days. I counted. He told me that I was too close to the Angevin family and that they had been formulating a way to create betrayal and how happy he was that I did it myself. But I didn't— I didn't mean to betray anyone, I knew I shouldn't have left but I didn't think it would— never mind. It doesn't matter." He reached his hand up to the buttons on his shirt and started playing with them. Florian's face felt burning hot and his anxiety seemed to grow from nervousness to fear as he wiped burgeoning tears from his eyes. "He cut me open. Over and over and over. He wanted to know why I am the way I am. He said I was special because magic doesn't affect me the same way it affects everyone else. I'm resistant, past just Lysanrin aether siphoning bullshit.

"They did everything they could to keep me alive until they wanted to take me apart entirely. And that's when we escaped. I wasn't the only experiment, but... we escaped. 22 days, so just before Ash ended, I think. And then I was in the wilderness alone." He laughed. "And then I found a group of travelers for a few more days. They fed me and gave me warm clothes." He paused, debating whether his story was already sounding too far-fetched for them. He knew he was telling the truth.

"You know how it was said the last regime was making monsters to turn against the populace? They fucking sent one after me. He took my arm and killed some of the travelers I was with, and we fought him off with fire, and then I left, because I didn't want more people to fucking die because I somehow got myself wrapped up in this insane situation where I know too much and I know too many people and I've got too much going on. I went to Kalzasi because where fuck else could I go, and I started working for Lyra. I wasn't there a month when I ran into these two—" He waved his hand towards Brenner and Stefan, "At the Crown Prince's wedding and they brought me back. I didn't really have a choice in the matter. Now I'm here. Now the Grand Marshal's discharged me. Now I'm Undersecretary Albrecht." He breathed a more ragged sigh than he intended, and then looked at Eitan.

"And now I'm sorry, because none of this would've happened if I just stayed."

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan listened attentively to Albrecht's tale after shaking his head with a smile at Brenner. He would, of course, be happy to serve in whatever capacity was required, but he wasn't going to ask for special favors just because his best friend was one heartbeat away from becoming the leader of the State. Albrecht's story wasn't especially long, nor full of detail, but it was clearly traumatic, so he tabled his questions for another time. There was enough there to give to Richter, and if she pushed for more, he could claim—truthfully—that the Lysanrin was under the aegis of the First Minister now. Perhaps with time, he would get more of the story, more of the motives, twists, and turns.

But the Dornkirks clearly believed him, else Brenner wouldn't have promoted him into his own service. Not so very long ago, Eitan had been promoting Albrecht to the Dornkirks in order to get him involved in the expedition, though it did seem like a lifetime ago in many ways.

"That is a lot," he said when it was clear Albrecht was done. He looked into his glass for a moment, processing. Then back up into those telltale eyes. Certainly, Albrecht believed what he was saying, though Eitan had been dealing with enough witches plying Mesmer all winter that he knew quite a few things could be faked.

"It is good that you are back safe, if not unscathed. Brenner can protect you far better than I could." He smiled. It was a weight off his shoulders. Turning somersaults and twisting like a contortionist to keep Albrecht's path traversable had been a lot. He hadn't shirked or felt compelled, but it was a relief. Albrecht was safe. That was all that mattered.

He realized he wasn't going to get a full understanding of any of what had gone on in his absence in one sitting, so he allowed himself to relax a bit.

"The world turned upside down," he noted quietly, then smiled. "But it's worked out for the best, hasn't it? Well, then... What can a Watcher and an Air Commander do to help?"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner pursed his lips and kept his eyes fixed on the drink in his hands as Florian began his sordid tale. It was, indeed, a longer version than he'd heard to date, though it seemed to beg more questions than it answered. There were people more attuned to these matters than he who had interrogated Florian more thoroughly upon his return to the Brass City, though, and the First Minister would defer to their judgement. He did, however, hazard a few glances up to gauge Eitan's expression at a few of the bolder claims.

When his name was uttered by Eitan, Brenner rose and stalked back over to join their conversation directly, rather than listening on the fringes as he had been for a spell.

"Oh, don't be modest. He survived the Warrens under your watchful eye, I'm certain our fair city poses no greater dangers than that hellhole." He stroked his chin with his free hand, whilst swirling his glass with the other, considering Eitan's question.

"Well." He began, leaving a beat as if he needed a moment to consider, though he'd very much ruminated over the matter of Eitan already and had quite a few notions in mind.

"As an Air Commander, you can keep an ear to the ground about any potential dissent from Kane loyalists. These nascent days of a new regime are always a precarious balance, and any intel could tip the scales in our favour should attempts to reinstate the old guard be plotted.

"As a Watcher..." Here Brenner lowered his voice, despite of their friendly environs, "The Order under Kane's latter day regime was a nightmare of redundancies and poor prioritisations. I need someone I trust on the inside who can highlight how best to manage their operations in the interest of efficiency and diligence. Too much has slipped through the cracks, of late, and I can't even trust their internal affairs division to do the job, so..." He gestured toward Eitan with his glass,

"I would love for you to go about your normal business, but to report directly to me anything that you deem needful of review or revision within the Order's bureaucracy. I will accord you a salary for this work outside of your compensation for your role as a Watcher, and you will help the State to improve its best line of defence against Witchcraft and prevent it from wantonly bending the laws it is sworn to uphold."

[Eitan Angevin]

Eitan didn't know if Albrecht wanted to add more, but he was quiet while Brenner waxed more prolix. As Albrecht's travails were personal and Brenner's troubles troubled the entire State, he prioritized the man's plans for Eitan, at least for the time being.

He nodded thoughtfully. Then, both earnest and a little offended, "I would have done that anyway, Brynn. You're First Minister now. As for the sordid topic of coin, do what you will."

Unsure what the going pay rate was for First Minister, he only knew that he surely made more than Brenner last season; he had two incomes, after all, and growing equity in his own property, but he reminded himself that Brenner only wanted what was best for him, and so he couldn't really be offended if he wanted to offer remuneration for services rendered even if it was unnecessary.

"Now would be a good time to streamline both military and Order, though the old guard will likely offer quite a lot of resistence with the possibility of a conflict with Kalzasi on the horizon. Nothing unites people like an outside threat."

Eitan paused.

"I don't suppose you could order your Science Minister to go home and see his wife? She is pregnant and would like to see him from time to time." His amused smile wavered a little. "I realize you are worried about possible retaliation for your presence at the wedding reception, Stef, but perhaps your position could afford you some security at the gates, on the grounds, or Mists, I could shield the place against intrusion to keep our wives safe." He might have said more, but he didn't want to shame Stefan in front of his brother and Albrecht. Isolating himself from Delia wasn't actually helping the situation.

[Stefan Dornkirk]

Stefan had been listening quietly to the conversation, most of the information was already known to him, and his official position as have anything useful to offer. Brenner was First Minister, this was his office, and he deserved the respect his position demanded. Also the elder Dornkirk had reached the stage to exhaustion in which, when he was not currently concentrating on something important, his mind sort of shut off. Being in that room with his brother and his brother-in-law was the safest he'd felt since before leaving on the 'diplomatic' trip to Kalzasi and, had he not been standing, he might have accidentally done himself the discredit of dozing despite the momentous and important events being discussed.

Thus it took him a moment to realize the topic of discussion had turned suddenly to himself. Blinking he glanced between Brenner and Eitan with a little bit of alarm.

The notes he received on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times daily, from his wife had been growing more insistent and began to use several different tactics to lure him back to their current home but, so far, he'd managed to resist the aching desire to acquiesce. He had done his best to care for both Delia and Luca in the months when Eitan's presence had been sporadic and brief, and, surprisingly, he missed even the little spitfire that made up the newest member of their household. But that was the point, he cared for both women, and the lives they now carried in their wombs. To subject any of them to the danger that Stefan's presence now represented was beyond deplorable.

Brenner had, so far, had no objection at all to Stefan taking up residence in his old room and taking the reins of his new government post from there. The proximity had been convenient, not to mention that the security detail now afforded to Brenner neatly covered Stefan as well.

Taking half a step forward and opening his mouth to protest, Stefan realized that Eitan had been addressing the First Minister and it wouldn't be appropriate to interrupt or answer for him, so he closed his mouth again, ducking his head slightly to wait until Brenner had his say. Only, then he was being addressed directly and he wasn't sure if he should speak or not.

The draw of being at home with Delia and Eitan was strong, more so when the request was made in person, and he could feel himself wavering. Finally, quietly, he said,

"I promised I'd keep them safe."

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner knitted his brow, bemused at Eitan’s response to his novel assignment and the salary it would accord him. ‘Sordid’, he’d said. That was irksome, implying as it did that he was was afflicted with that common New Money affliction of being blithe about addressing finances to a vulgar degree. It wasn’t as though he’d named a number… But, thinking back, perhaps Eitan had brooked offence at Brenner’s blithe use of the phrase ‘keep and ear to the ground’, given the sensitivity surrounding that particular part of his anatomy.

“Well, you are welcome to apply the funds as a budget towards your endeavours if you’d prefer… or the State will certainly have plenty of expenses coming up as we accelerate toward the inevitable conflict at long last.”

Brenner glanced to Stefan as he approached and shrugged.

“As for Stefan- Though I plan to take brazen action for the good of our State, I will not overreach so much as to manage what our Chief Science Officer does with his free time…” He pursed his lips,

“But Stefan, please let me know if you require a bolstered security complement for yourself or your family. Those wretches of Kalzasi have already proven they have no regard for their own laws, let alone the demands of common decency. I will do my utmost to ensure that the next generation of House Dornkirk is kept safe.” He made direct eye contact, pursing his lips and delivering a firm nod. He meant for the gesture to be a comforting one, as well as an earnest punctuation to his promise.

With that clarified, he turned his gaze upon Florian- checking his expression for signs of how he might be feeling about this strange reunion.

[Rune]

R E V I E W

Lore: 8 Each

Points: 10 Each

Injuries/Ailments: Mental Breakdowns in Progress

Loot: None

Notes:

[Rune]

R E V I E W

Lore: 8 Each

Points: 10 Each

Injuries/Ailments: Mental Breakdowns in Progress

Loot: None

Notes: