Chapter 3: 1.02 gens Primus (1)

Faustus Petilius Thenisia sat on her padded wooden chair watching over the senate floor. The last of the senators were shuffling into their seats and the viewing balconies were filled to the brink with ifrit. Her father Fairebius sat on one of the two obsidian thrones at the center of the circular room, facing his most bitter rival and oldest friend Primus Petilius Galerius.

Two large gold banners with the insignia of a glowing blue wave covered the room's back wall, hiding its sculpted emerald iconography. A reminder of the emperor of waves dominion.

As the last of the congregation filled the room Galerius began the meeting as it was his turn.

The old patriarch rises from his chair and walks to the center of the senate floor. He looks up, choosing to face the spectators instead of his fellow senators. This is the cause of many disgruntled voices from the Faustus faction and many nods of approval from his own Primus faction.

"Senators, magistrates and the bright ifrit of Petilius. I, Consul Primus Petlius Galerius wholeheartedly welcome you to this session of the senate," he yells, his commanding voice skill sending it to all in the building.

A round of cheers rings out from enthusiastic spectators, he was after all the people's champion. What was more shocking were the silent frowns of more than a third of them. Had gens Primus truly fallen so far?

After the applause dies down through the forceful coercion of the guards, Galerius continues with his right of introduction.

"As I am sure all the fair citizens of the city are here for one issue, in particular, I hereby call the motion to move the discussion of the rumoured oracle to the forefront of the senate," he yells.

This causes another louder round of cheers, buying back many of the previously unenthused spectators. Many senators of both factions groan. The public adored discussion of rumours, but senators just saw it as taking up valuable time. 

Fairebius holds up a hand causing the complaining senators to stop their yammering. Him being a staunch traditionalist he didn't dare to stand, but everyone still knew he was to speak.

"I agree with Galerius," his low voice booms from his speech skill. A few gasps were heard from the younger senators. Thenisia sips from her goblet of spiced wine and calls for her handmaid.

Fairebius looks around the senator's semicircular seating. Voices turn to shrill gasps wherever his vision crept. After silence is reaffirmed he continues.

"The way most would look at the rumour of an oracle is as hearsay, however, we must consider not only the views of our citizens but also of the other four cities," he says.

This causes much murmuring amongst the senators. Galerius picks out a member of his faction to act as the first speaker on the issue and the Senate hearing continues.

"Selpha, send a message to Quintus's viewing box, tell him to get over here without any dawdling," says Thenisia showing emotion her voice. Around others, emotions were a weakness, but around Selpha she was weak already.

What better explanation for gens Faustus and Primus was there than the location of their viewing boxes. Thenisia's box sat next to the senators behind her father's chair, whilst Quintus's box also sat behind his father's but was built above into the public spectator's balconies. gens Faustus, the clan of the aristocracy and wealthy opposing gens Primus, the clan of the people and its defenders.

The human servant bowed her head and left the viewing box for Quintus'.

Perhaps He could enlighten her on why the ragman was so late. Although it was unexpected that Gallus knew of the ragman apprentice, it was not surprising he harassed him. Them, she reminded herself.

It was quite amazing what a few gold denar could dig up on someone so new to the city.

Galerius and Fairebius took turns calling up senators to discuss the rumours. As expected all but the most excluded senator had been tactfully ruling out its credibility even if they themselves believed it. It was in the interest of the free city of Petilius to stay as mundane as possible, or else it might not remain so free.

Eventually, a motion to dismiss was brought forth and both consuls agreed on it. Just like that over three-quarters of the spectators began shuffling out of the balconies, the grand palace and then the city sanctum.

Thenisia sighed. If the citizens would put half the interest into politics as they did rumours the city would've been a much better place, but they had grown tired from a hundred years of complacency. Until of course, the emperor of waves arrived.

Thenisia hears a polite knock before Quintus barges in past Selpha, his man servant stood waiting for Selpha to enter first. At least he held a shred of elegance, then again that was what she liked about Quintus.

"Thenisia." He acknowledges before he sits beside her on a padded wooden chair. He reaches for an empty goblet but Thenisia slaps his hand away.

"I will not have you stumbling out of another senate hearing drunk, Quintus." She says jovial, a slight smile appearing on her face.

Quintus smiles back going against his face naturally frowning cracks, but it quickly disappears. He looks away his face twitching, trying and failing to hide his misery. Unlike her Quintus was a warrior, he held no skill to mask his emotions but even still he was particularly bad at it.

"That was a lifetime ago, I assure you. I have not acted out in such a way since I was a teenager. Why have you called me here?" he says professionally

Thenisia's smile slips. It was not long ago that she and Quintus would share drinks over a warm meal and laugh until the sun came up. She thinks again and realises that was in fact more than two decades ago. The more she went through life, the shorter its totality became. Where did the time go?

Maybe if they didn't share those drinks all those years ago things wouldn't have ended up like this, and they could still talk like they did. All intrigue left behind.

"I understand that your son assaulted the ragman's apprentice," she says calm and collected. Her face was devoid of all emotion thanks to her facial control skill.

Anger flashes through Quintus's face and it convulses trying to suppress it. She'd stabbed a dagger into his heart and she knew it. Why did she hurt him?

Paladin or no it was a miracle he had survived in the courts of the city. Perhaps that was the privilege of a warrior class, or maybe as he had once said she was simply his weakness. Just now to a very different result.

"My son simply questioned them, they were unharmed during its entirety," he replies with a growl.

Thenisia smiles deliberately, not genuinely. Only intrigue classes could usually tell, but he got the message.

"Is that why they were seen jumping out of the gate towers? You say they were unharmed, of that I am sure, but praytell, what could have spurred such an action," she says.

He knew that she knew the truth, and he hated it. This game of talking around the obvious for new tidbits of information, or to trick concessions was never his cup of tea.

He looked down at the senate floor, they were discussing higher taxation of citizens to pay the emperor of waves tribute. After all, what better way to pay than with the people's money.

As expected the Faustus faction brang up points for and the Primus faction brought up points against, but the final decision came down to the two consuls.

"How do you think your fathers going to vote?" asks Thenisia as she sips on her goblet.

Quintus had calmed down a little, though he had given up on forcing his frown into a neutral expression.

"One of our senators will bring up an addendum to tax the aristocracy triple the normal citizens and then they'll all fight until equal taxation is brought up," he says as he grabs a goblet, Thenisia this time letting him.

"And your father will vote as?" she questions.

Quintus's manservant pours spiced wine into his cup and he sips it slowly, considering whether he should answer. Eventually, he comes to an answer. 

He lowers his cup and says "Against."

Thenesia slowly turns and looks down at the standing old man. Although even older than her father in age, his skills made him healthier than most.

She had expected him to make a few shows of favour to the citizens, but to go as far as voting against taxation for the emperor of waves? Either the old man was crafty or senile. They couldn't handle another war even if most would disagree.

"Quite a strategy. Why should the citizens pay the same percentage as the aristocracy, when they weren't afforded the same privileges. Yes?" she asks to confirm.

Quintus nods and takes another sip of wine.

"And do you agree with his decision?" she probes.

Quintus stares at her pointedly. He was loyal to his father, as was she, but he had the loyalty of a warrior and she did of a daughter. Familial ties were rarely tested, but a warrior's trust was reaffirmed every day on a battlefield. Besides, he was the only child and doted upon whilst she was the eldest of six.

He gets up from the seat and leans against the railing, wine in hand. After some hesitation, Thenisia joins him.

She didn't hesitate because she feared the looks of others, the box had been enchanted to be private and none could see inside, but she did fear his rejection. Sitting with a political rival was formal and common, but leaning beside them drinking?

They once again paid attention to the senates ongoings. A younger senator brought up taxing the aristocracy triple, as Quintus had said. It caused much outrage amongst the Faustus senators and an equally cheery response from the spectators. The other aristocracy was silent in the two large boxes that line the senates sides.

Thenisia looked back up at Quintus. Whether from a skill or genetics his flames had barely dimmed. He was just as beautiful as her, with the same pitch black obsidian skin and bright red flames peaking in their gaps. She often wondered why exactly he hadn't married.

Even if he still wanted to keep Gallus as his heir despite his status as a bastard, no citizen would oppose the paladin of the people. Plus the aristocracy all hated him anyway.

Was it his father's scorn? No, he was a superstitious man, but he was still kind. He'd simply ignore the tale of the ifrit of neither flames and ash.

"How is Gallus," asks Thenisia, timid in spirit.

Quintus stares at her for a long moment, his eyes narrowing not from suspicion but misery.

"He is well if a bit paranoid that the world is out to get him," he replies in a hushed tone.

"And you would disagree?" she replies.

Quintus looks down at the senate, then up at the spectators, then across to the hidden aristocracy and then finally at the banner with the insignia of a wave. He looks back into Thenisias eyes, almost breaking her three decades of training as she forcibly stares back.

"I think the world is out to get us all. It's all just a matter of if you allow it," he replies.

She shows a toothy grin before her grip on her skill tightens and her face returns to neutral. This makes Quintus laugh before he takes a sip and turns his attention back to the senate.

Her heart flutters. She had a husband and a child, but Quintus could make her feel like she was a teenager again. If she was his weakness, he was hers.

She looked at him for another moment before she saw movement in the corner of her eyes. She turned around and saw Quintus's manservant rushing forward with a dripping black dagger in hand.

He spoke no words, uttered no warcry and instead looked quite bored of the whole ordeal. As her mouth moved to command him to stop, Selpha had already engaged mirage step. She left a trail of afterimages as she closed in on the would-be assassin, but as she came within grabbing distance he simply sped up.

"Stop!" Thenisia screams, her voice caged by her box's privacy enchantments.

The assassin does not stop, nor hesitate for even a moment. The dagger meets Quintus's back and strikes true impaling him. Not a drop of the viscous black liquid is wasted as it forces itself inside him. Their bodies clash and momentum once gained is not easily stopped.

Selpha appears behind the assassin as they pull out the now crimson blade. She punches the assassin attempting to knock them out with true strike. Their blow hits, a moment before the assassin's own dagger pierces their neck.

A fountain of boiling blood streams forth as Quintus falls the story down to the Senate floor.

As the senators would later describe they saw Quintus of gens Primus, fall from the detached Faustus viewing box to the senate floor. Galerius upon seeing his fallen son, did not hesitate as he flew a story and twenty meters forward in one mighty leap to catch him in the air. In the process collided with the blood spraying it over the errant opposition senators, who scrambled like cowards. Quintus might be dead.

As the spectators would later describe they saw the people's paladin be thrown out at the vile hands of the aristocracy. Rumours often floated about how the noble class would often spurn gens Primus for their love of the people, culminating in the birth of Gallus. Now he was not only cursed in form but cursed by both the lack of a mother and the loss of a father. Galerius held his son in his arms, pouring forth potion after potion wrestled from the vile senator's hands. Blazing tears flowed down his crumpled cheeks and burned through his son's clothing. Through their final screams they knew, Quintus was dead.

As the aristocracy would later describe the assassination attempt had failed. Whatever contemptible fool had tried to kill a noble family with mere poison deserved the comeuppance the old patriarch would enact. It was unfortunate to see one of their own foamings at the mouth like a fool, but they knew that this attack was neither there's nor any ifrits attack. For as old Galerius screamed from his anguish, his son screamed with him, and their combined battle roar skills shook the grand palace's foundation. The poison cooked away from his sons boiling blood and his own scorching tears. Quintus was alive.

The emperor of waves banners fell from their hooks, the final ember that reignited both the aristocracy and the citizen's belief in gens Primus's standing.

"Quintus stop!" screamed Thenisia as she saw Quintus fall and disappear from her life for perhaps the last time. Her Lady's authority skill activated subconsciously as if she could command the world itself to save him. Thankfully her box's enchantments stopped her scream from being heard by the rest of the congregation.

As she would later tell no one, when she saw the love of her life presumably die in front of her she did not cry. Instead, her face twisted to such wicked anger that even her facial control skill could not contain it. She roared, not screamed, at the guzzling corpse of the assassin sitting against the railing.

She pulled him off the railing and onto the floor. She climbed onto his chest and tightened the grip on her metal goblet. She raised it and smashed it down into the corpse until her yellow, orange and red dress only showed one colour. All the while screaming every combination of every obscenity that came to her mind.

She only stopped once a knock came on her viewing box door. Even on the eve of a murder, protocol beat all other instincts. Selpha helped her mistress off the brutalised body, the face no longer recognisable. She gently covered her mistress with a shawl and escorted her out of the room, making promise after promise to attest to truth spells at a later date to the army of guards that stood outside.

Thenisia only looked forward mindlessly. Her eyes in use by her mind to comb through the details of the assassination attempt.

Mirage steps, although not the fastest movement skill, was foundational for a plethora of warriors. However, thanks to a monthly bribe to a servant of the Primus household, she knew all there was to know about the would-be assassin. At least she thought she did.

He unlike Selpha was a butler and nothing else, so how had he sped up? No butler skill she knew of could do such a thing in such a manner. Selpha should have easily caught up with him, and even if she hadn't her lady's authority skill should have stopped him in his tracks not allowed him to kill himself.

Furthermore, Quintus was a doofus, not an idiot. He believed in the best in people but would never have allowed his and therefore the city's safety to be endangered. Who had wanted his life, and for what purpose.

What mattered now was not only her own safety but the safety of her children. Both Fairbia and Gallus.

Gallus might not know his true mother's name, but that was okay. Neither did the rest of the world and the time she could have revealed the truth had long since gone. 

Now it would do more harm than good. Gallus did too much harm on his own. He was like her in that way, if only he weren't cursed.

Thenisia is escorted out of the grand palace and back to the Faustus estates on her personal amphista.

A horn rings out from the grand palace echoing back from more horns on the walls. The ifrit of the city hurry back to their homes in terror as a state of emergency is called. 

The only people left in the street are district checkpoint guards rushing to the walls and two conspicuous forms, one mummy and one human.

 

Temujin huffs and puffs, half expecting to blow the city away. After providing Vel with the crystal they had assumed that his road to recovery would be a long path. Especially so due to the fact that by his own admission this was low fantasy, not high. Vel seemed to have forgotten that.

As soon as he had the crystal in his hands he threw it into his mouth and ate it like an especially crunchy crouton. The very second after he jumped off his chair as spry as a spring chicken.

He'd told them about the roman styled senate and they'd very excitedly wanted to go with him. What a fool they were.

They'd entered the city and were leisurely making their way to the grand palace when the horns had gone off. Vel immediately switched his walk to a full-out sprint without a word to Temujin, forcing them to play keep up.

They weren't exactly unhealthy, but they wouldn't dain to call themselves fit either. After what seemed like an eternity and a strange amount of salutes from the passing guards they reached the city sanctum.

The innermost area of the city, the city sanctum, was a series of gargantuan buildings and estates all in a myriad of styles. They ranged from the central grand palace's ottoman to the many surrounding houses greek. What stood out most of all was the liberal use of wood.

Honest, actual to god wood was used exactly as it would be back home. Signs, fences, chairs and furniture all lined impressive wooden decks on many estates. This was the first time they'd seen any since they arrived in this world.

Vel stopped his sprint and looked in the air panting, his hand blocking his eyes from the harsh sun. Temujin stumbled over their steps and collapsed beside him, having a heart attack from the sounds of i.

Above them was a large golden amphista with a small carriage built onto its back. On it was stamped a golden amphista on a dark red background, the insignia of gens Faustus.

"What the fuck?" Vel mumbled under his breath.

Vel looked down at his struggling apprentice and picked them up in a princess carry. He had no time to dilly dally. Temujin would have normally protested, but they were just glad for the break.

Vel brought the two of them away from the very center of the city to a corner of its inner sanctum. To a large plot of land filled to the brim with trees, grass, flowers and even some songbirds. 

A mansion fit for even the billionaires back home sat at its center, overlooking the grandiose display of wealth. Temujin hadn't even seen water since they'd come here, this shitty garden was fed better than they were.

Although they had eaten plenty of cactus this morning they felt a thirst come on just from seeing it. 

Vel walked up to the guards at the metal gates and plopped Temujin down. He exchanged a few words with them before promptly being let in. Temujin picked themself up awkwardly.

Both of them walked through a cobblestone path to the sandstone mansion doors. Its construction was extraordinarily mundane. In fact it looked like a normal stone building from the outer districts of the city, just scaled up to monumental size. 

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The windows lacked any glass and instead let in both the air and the light, though blinds were set tied back at their corners. Temujin wondered how exactly security worked here, everything was so open and free.

The mansion doors open and much to Temujin's surprise, a human maid welcomes them.

"It is good to see you ragman. It also nice to see another human face here, I am Selpha good to meet you Temujin," she says in a solemn tone.

Both Temujin and Vel raised their brows in surprise, though for different reasons. Completely ignoring the fact she already knew their name, she was the first human they'd seen since they came here. Well, low human that is. Vel didn't count.

They felt like jumping up and hugging the woman but they settled for staring wide-eyed. She ignored the stare and focused her attention on Vel.

"It's... good to see me?" questioned Vel. Genuinely astonished by the words.

"Yes, just fifteen minutes ago an attempted assassination of Primus Petilius Quintus took place in Lady Thenesia's viewing box," she says.

Vel pauses for a minute trying to process the absurd sentence, but before he can strum up an answer both he and Temujin are pulled inside by the maid. She shuts the door behind them and pulls them along.

"W-wait!" protests Vel, "Arent you going to tell me more? I mean you can't just drop a bombshell like that on me and just move forward without a word!"

Selpha sighs and fills in the duo in quick to-the-point sentences, squeezing their arms until they yelped whenever they tried to interject. Selpha takes a longer route to get to Thenisias drawing-room, but in exchange, she buys enough time to fully fill in them.

Although Temujin was astounded that an assassination had taken place they barely understood the complex politicking around it. So they were mainly confused whilst Vel fell into deep thought. Once they had reached their destination Selpha let them go.

She put her hand on the door handle but before opening it she turned to the duo.

"Don't say anything about the blood," she says as she opens the door. Inside sat a brutally strange version of the Thenisia that Temujin had met the day before.

She'd switched out from the dress and now wore a more casual gown, though her obsidian face and charcoal hair were still stained with the blood of the assassin.

Temujin gasps whilst Vel calmly walks into the drawing-room and takes a seat at the table Thenisia was hunched over. She was meticulously combing through various tomes. Vel picks one up and quickly shows both himself and Temujin the title before Thenisia slaps away his hand and returns her book to the table.

The book was an old encyclopedia about various service classes. They guess she was researching if there was a butler skill that was faster than mirage-step. Selpha had been quite shocked by it.

"Why if it isn't the ragman and his apprentice. To what do I owe the pleasure?" asks Thenisia in a cheery voice. Her stoney face still buried in her books, not caring to even look at them. Temujin wonders how she even knew it was them.

Vel shares a look with Selpha and everyone stares at Thenisia for a long while, before Temujin breaks the silence.

"We're here to help," they say plainly.

Thenisia snorts. Vel is taken aback by this, never seeing her do something so inelegant before. Although he hadn't seen her caked in the blood of her enemies either.

"If you wish to help, you can keep Fairbia busy and out of trouble for me," says Thenisia.

Temujin flinches at that. Would keeping Fairbia busy entail being chased whilst almost being stabbed again?

"My lady, you have worked well with the ragman in the past, perhaps you may let him assist you once more?" pleads Selpha. Her fist tightens into a pale white. Vel notices and sighs.

"Just tell me what it is you are trying to accomplish. We can't do anything if you won't let us Thenisia," says Vel.

Thenisia finishes a book and throws it behind her, Selpha uses mirage-step to appear behind her and catch it. She sits the book down on a chair and nervously stands back behind the lady.

Vel sees that Thenisia wouldn't respond and gets up. He walks over to her and grabs her arms. She resists of course and to be honest Vel was about equal in strength to her, but she wasnt her normal self.

She struggles again and again her vision solely focused on the table, not giving Vel the time of day even though she was in his grasp. After a page of reading, she finally breaks eye contact with the table and stares back at him.

Vel lets go of her as her bloodshot eyes meet his. Although she had the facial control skill, even it required some semblance of control in the first place. Right now her normal neutered expression was replaced with one of pure fury and despair.

"Please Thenisia," says Vel in a hushed tone.

Thenisia's facial control skill reactivates and she fixes her posture.

"No combination of butler skills I've researched matches the display of skills used by the assassin. It is my working theory he was replaced, although if so he should have reverted when he killed himself," she says speedily.

Selpha smiles seeing her lady regain control of herself, although even she didn't know for how long. Temujin takes a seat and awkwardly taps the table.

"Right now I must contemplate whether or not whoever orchestrated this will strike again, and then at who." Thenisia continues.

Vel turns and looks at Temujin. They had told him about their tea reading prediction and their ordeals in the city, would he reveal them outright?

"I see. I would send a message spell to Petina and sell him this information in exchange for any new information he might get his hands-on," he says.

Temujin sighs in relief, which is not unnoticed by both Selpha and Thenisia. They were brought up in courts and thrived. From that one action, they knew that Temujin was hiding something that was of use. 

"Do you have any idea who the next assassin might be?" asks Thenisia as she grabs a small black gem hung around her neck.

"Maybe, you have many rivals." hedges Vel, all too aware of the truth spell enchanted on the gem.

They stare at each other, but this time Vel doesn't back down. Temujin watches the two's tension build.

Should they tell Thenisia? It would certainly make this entire exchange much less intense and would really help her out, but Vel had already told them not to reveal their class to anyone.

Maybe if they say they know the oracle? No, they might pull Temujin back into some flames of judgment and they barely managed to escape Gallus last time.

Temujin was never good at these situations, Emilia was usually there to navigate them through them. If Emilia wasn't around then Themis loved to do verbal jousting and would gladly their pace. Then there was Salazar, he admittedly wouldn't be of much help but at least they'd suffer together.

Temujin's vision focuses on Thenisia standing over them. As they'd gotten lost in their thoughts they'd walked over. The lady was still caked in blood and unlike Vel, Temujin was quite affected by it. 

Beads of sweat roll down their brow as they look away from the ifrits blazing stare. It was amazing how quickly they were normalised in their mind, but right now what she saw wasn't just another person but an entity who presumably held a great deal of power. 

"Temujin," Thenisia says somehow with both tenderness and bloodlust, "Do you know anything that might help me in my investigation?"

A strange power exerts itself on Temujin's mind. A hazy fog that slows down the normally blazing-fast cogs of her mind. They suddenly can't think of anything but the question poised.

It was simple enough and before they can think they automatically try to utter yes, but before they vocalise the sound a sharp pain slaps them out of it.

Vel had casually walked up to them and backhanded them. Temujin stares up at him aghast, their eyes getting watery. He ignores them and instead scowls at Thenisia.

"I will not allow you to coerce my apprentice Thenisia," he growls.

"And why might that be, ragman. Have you not been entirely forthright?" she remarks, completely unperturbed by Vel's apparent anger.

Temujin rubs their head feeling a headache coming on. There it was again, that strange power that bent them to Thenisias will. It was either a skill or magic and considering her lavish home probably a very high-level one. If they raised their level would they grow stronger and be able to resist, or was it just a test of willpower?

"Your anger is misplaced. What will you achieve from venting it to a teenager?" says Vel struggling to keep calm.

Vel's pale bandages and poor-quality clothing lent to him look like a vagrant, but here he was talking on equal ground with a noble.

From what Temujin knew from back home level 25 wasn't very high, but Vel had previously put importance on level 30. Did this world's levelling system work from level 1 to 50, or was everyone here just low-level?

Although Thenesias face remained as still as ever on its surface, beneath a war was being fought. Torrential grief mixed with raging anger as she looked back at Temujin. They shifted in their seat uncomfortable from the staring, but it did not break.

Vel's anger fades into pity and he frowns as he puts a hand on Thenesias shoulder.

"Why are you such a mess at Quintus being attacked? You've only ever complained about him before, and you've never acted like this even on the precipice of war," he asks gently.

Thenesia shifts. She takes a seat at the table behind her not minding the books. Selpha starts to correct her but thinks better. She puts her right hand on her dominant left arm and squeezes. 

Even Temujin could tell that she was miserable, and if they could tell both Vel and Selpha surely could. 

After a long pause, Thenesia mutters "It wouldn't help, Vel."

Vel's eyes go wide and he glares back at Temujin. They flush and idly look out of the window of the room, pretending not to exist.

The room once again falls into silence. Temujin looks between the three people all trying and failing to communicate and grits their teeth as they build up the nerve to speak. 

If they told her, she could help. They knew that but still hesitated. They were as good a person as any, but as Themis would have said they have to take care of themselves first and foremost.

Temujin looked back up at Thenesia and noticed something that caused alarm in both Vel and Selpha. A lone tear flowed down her stoney cheek and off her expressionless face.

Temujin didn't know how the noble kept their composure so easily, but now did. It was a skill and one that was slipping.

"I'm the oracle," says Temujin their heart aching from pity.

Everyone in the room stares at them. Vel's eyes are wide from alarm, whilst Selpha's narrowed with suspicion. Thenisia stayed expressionless as always but her stare intensified.

"I-I mean I'm not one, I'm the person that people think is an oracle. I'm actually an augur." they correct.

Thenisia looks back at Vel. "Well, at least your apprentice has some pity," she remarks wiping the tear from her face.

"Yes," Vel says with a grimace, "it's quite unfortunate."

"An augur is a class from eldarin legend. You predict the future from signs in nature, yes?" asks Thensia.

"Yes? No? Maybe? I'm not quite sure I..." Temujin trails off not knowing if telling her she recently obtained the glass would trip an alarm in her mind.

She did seem very crafty, so much so Temujin was beginning to think the tear might have been a ploy.

"Yes," says Vel firmly. He takes a seat next to Temujin apparently done with facing Thenisia.

"So you can predict the future for us?" asks Selpha.

"Uhm... about that, I may already have, I read a fortune that said that Gallus would be betrayed by F and eventually die. Until now I thought it meant Fairbia," replies Temujin.

Thenisia's eyes unfocus for a second as she processes the information. Once done, she jumps off the table and towards Temujin. Selpha interrupts her lady mid-dash and calmly, though forcefully, sits her down at the table propper.

"What!?" screams Thensia with a snarl. She imbues her voice with her coercion skill, compelling Temujin to continue. Both Selpha and Vel flinch at the power exuded by the sudden command, though they manage to resist it fine.

A thunderstorm rolls into Temujins mind, booming with malicious intent. Temujin cowers back into their chair and winces, closing their eyes from the mental strain.

"I read a teacup he had drank from and the signs I got from it told me his future," They in an uncharacteristic calm and low tone.

"Thenisia!" yells back Vel, scrambling to his feet and summoning an arrow of mana in his hand. In response, Selpha mirage steps behind him in an instant and holds a small thin blade to his neck.

"When?! How!? Where!?" screams Thenisia. She doesn't rise from the chair she was plopped onto, but she does dig into its wood with her gold nails.

"I don't know," responds Temujin. A grief-stricken scream takes up their internal monologue, wiping their mind of any errant thoughts. 

"What else do you know that I want to know!?" yells Thensia fed up with Temujin's lack of answers.

Temujin is allowed to ruminate on the question. They immediately think of Vel's past and his status as a time traveller. Temujin opens their mouth to tell Thenisia as she commanded, but before a single word can be formed their mouth glues shut.

They sit in silence for a moment before Thenisia, exasperated by the silence commands them once again.

"Tell me! Now!" she screams, her voice cracking from the exertion. 

The thunderstorm in Temujin's mind strikes lightning down upon their self. They cower from it, but it always strikes true. They funnel their inner strength at opening their clamped shut mouth, but great chains of oaths bind it.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place they struggle futilely quickly expending all their mental energy trying to fend off both forces. Blood flows from their eyes, nose and ears as the stress takes its toll on them.

Seeing his apprentice struggle Vel Hesitates no longer and shouts with incredible force, "Stop!". His mana-infused voice reverberates through not only the room but the entirety of the estate. Causing all servants, mechanical devices, animals and even the flow of water to stop. 

Vel manages to move out of the path of Selphas's knife as he collapses to the floor. Over half his mana supply was used up in an instance. Vel gets up shortly and grabs Temujin, as he does they're unfrozen.

"I do not understand why but I know you are in grief, for that, I will not hold a grudge. However, if you ever so much as lay a hand on my apprentice again, I will not hesitate to use force," he says in a low and calm voice.

Vel puts an arm on Temujin and leans on them as they walk out. Temujin looks down not being able to meet his gaze, he'd gone to such lengths to make sure they weren't harmed. He still tricked them, but he was still good.

Vel puts his other hand on his temple rubbing it. His master-apprentice contract burned like a hot iron in his mind. They leave the room, then the manor and walked off towards the city gates.

Once they were safely out of the room and earshot Selpha closes the doors. Thenisia disables her facial control and reveals pure rage.

She grabs book after book from the table and throws them against the wall screaming. It had been barely an hour and already she had two tragedies on her hands.

She stops her venting once she runs out of books and calmly sits down.

She looks up at the silent Selpha and says, "Send a message spell to Galerius, tell him that Gallus is most likely the next target. The old coot may be against him being his successor, but he still loves him. Also, sell the information to Petina as the ragman... Vel suggested."

Selpha nods and begins to walk off before Thenisia adds, "And send a courier to him as well. Apologise and give him a mana crystal. Say that we'll provide whatever reward he wishes plus full resources to help train Temujin and our full confidentiality."

Selpha nods and exits the room.

Thenisia sighs and looks out at the amphista-flooded sky. News will be spreading everywhere and the vultures would come soon. She needed the ragman on her side and that outburst didn't do her any favours.

When she was his age she was the haughtiest of the haughty, it took a tragedy to temper her into what she was now. She wished to the gods, any and all that would listen, that this would not be his.

Tears now flowed down her cheek freely as she balled up in her seat and sobbed. She hoped the culprits of the assassination attempt were long gone from the city, for the further away they were the longer she could hunt them and make them suffer.