Ul'dah, Felstar Manor, Private Chambers
The leather clad miqo'te slowly removed her mask with a shaky hand, running her other hand through her white hair. The mansion room was dark, a single candle on the bedstand the only source of illumination. The moonkeeper set the mask down and picked up a framed picture next to it, one of a blond haired hyur child smiling happily. The boy had saved her life so long ago, given her purpose and drive to continue living herself. He had even gone so far as to give her his last name to solidify her new role in the family. She in turn would devote her life to protecting him. The failure of that mission quickly sank in as she dropped to the floor, leaning up against the bed and clutching the portrait close to her chest. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her ashen grey cheeks, a sign of weakness she had not shown even to herself in years. She then buried her face in her knees, picture still in hand. Vertigo Felstar would cry herself to sleep that night, and many nights after.
Somewhere in Ilsabard, days later...
The hyur courier approached the cabin with mild curiosity in his eyes. The style of the small home was different than he was used to. It looked like something a Gridanian would build. He knocked gently on the front door and was quickly met with a tall indigo haired midlander female, her beauty making him almost blush before quickly handing the sealed envelope, giving a small bow to the woman and returning to his other tasks.
The indigo haired woman glanced curiously at the envelope, closing the door behind her. It bore the seal of House Felstar. 'Why would father be so careless in his communication?'
The woman gingerly opened the envelope and sat on the arm of an elegant crimson sofa. Her eyes widened in horror as she read the letter. She read it over a second time. And then again. And then once more. Her eyes remained filled with dread every single time. Slowly, she rose from her seat and walked in an almost zombie-like trance to a nearby table, still unable to fully process the news. Anger suddenly filled her eyes as she swept her arm across the table and sent everything on it to the floor in a fit of rage. She let out a scream in outrage before moving to a nearby flower pot and hurling it across the room, watching it shatter into a hundred little pieces. She turned around as tears began to gently stream down her cheeks, glancing at her reflection in a nearby tall mirror. Elza quickly grabbed the nearest object to her, a book, and hurled it at the mirror in even more rage, shattering the reflection instantly.
Ul'dah, Felstar Manor, Patriarch's Office
It was dark, the ornate fireplace radiating its gently blaze in the room. Cartius sat quietly at his desk, his face showing no hint of emotion. A number of documents, information compiled by the patriarch's myriad of informants over the years, flooded his desk as he slowly flipped through each one...
Gerik Aston and Burgenheim Rosa, the two who had the most direct impact on breaking his son's heart into countless pieces with irrepairable damage. Aysun Demiir and her other half, Fenix, meddlers who never learned their place. Eva Ianeira and Camille Everardi, Â false friends seemingly always complacent with Kylin's downfall at the hands of their cohorts. Rhio Aldul, Ki'lari, and Tyriont Gaidal, turncoats who didn't know the meaning of loyalty. Stormguard, Outer Heaven, Crystalline...nearly all of their former leaders and members were profiled. Any one of them could have potentially had motive to end Kylin.
Cartius sighed inwardly, leaning back in his large chair. So many times he was prepared to end them all. So many times did he have the opportunity. But Kylin pleaded with his father to not start any wars. As patriarch, it was evident now more than ever that Cartius's original decision would have been the most logical one to protect his family.
The hyur continued to reflect. Mayhaps the murderer was one of his own enemies? Mayhaps it had naught to do with Kylin's past at all? The burden of that thought was a heavy one indeed. He had failed all of his children- Seraphine, Elza, and now Kylin. All of his attempts to protect them in his own way were for nothing, and perhaps even the result of their ultimate undoings.
And so he coninued to reflect. And reflect some more. It was all he had in him to do. Should he seek revenge against those who wronged his family? Should he submit? What was a house patriarch to do? What was a father to do...?
The leather clad miqo'te slowly removed her mask with a shaky hand, running her other hand through her white hair. The mansion room was dark, a single candle on the bedstand the only source of illumination. The moonkeeper set the mask down and picked up a framed picture next to it, one of a blond haired hyur child smiling happily. The boy had saved her life so long ago, given her purpose and drive to continue living herself. He had even gone so far as to give her his last name to solidify her new role in the family. She in turn would devote her life to protecting him. The failure of that mission quickly sank in as she dropped to the floor, leaning up against the bed and clutching the portrait close to her chest. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her ashen grey cheeks, a sign of weakness she had not shown even to herself in years. She then buried her face in her knees, picture still in hand. Vertigo Felstar would cry herself to sleep that night, and many nights after.
Somewhere in Ilsabard, days later...
The hyur courier approached the cabin with mild curiosity in his eyes. The style of the small home was different than he was used to. It looked like something a Gridanian would build. He knocked gently on the front door and was quickly met with a tall indigo haired midlander female, her beauty making him almost blush before quickly handing the sealed envelope, giving a small bow to the woman and returning to his other tasks.
The indigo haired woman glanced curiously at the envelope, closing the door behind her. It bore the seal of House Felstar. 'Why would father be so careless in his communication?'
The woman gingerly opened the envelope and sat on the arm of an elegant crimson sofa. Her eyes widened in horror as she read the letter. She read it over a second time. And then again. And then once more. Her eyes remained filled with dread every single time. Slowly, she rose from her seat and walked in an almost zombie-like trance to a nearby table, still unable to fully process the news. Anger suddenly filled her eyes as she swept her arm across the table and sent everything on it to the floor in a fit of rage. She let out a scream in outrage before moving to a nearby flower pot and hurling it across the room, watching it shatter into a hundred little pieces. She turned around as tears began to gently stream down her cheeks, glancing at her reflection in a nearby tall mirror. Elza quickly grabbed the nearest object to her, a book, and hurled it at the mirror in even more rage, shattering the reflection instantly.
Ul'dah, Felstar Manor, Patriarch's Office
It was dark, the ornate fireplace radiating its gently blaze in the room. Cartius sat quietly at his desk, his face showing no hint of emotion. A number of documents, information compiled by the patriarch's myriad of informants over the years, flooded his desk as he slowly flipped through each one...
Gerik Aston and Burgenheim Rosa, the two who had the most direct impact on breaking his son's heart into countless pieces with irrepairable damage. Aysun Demiir and her other half, Fenix, meddlers who never learned their place. Eva Ianeira and Camille Everardi, Â false friends seemingly always complacent with Kylin's downfall at the hands of their cohorts. Rhio Aldul, Ki'lari, and Tyriont Gaidal, turncoats who didn't know the meaning of loyalty. Stormguard, Outer Heaven, Crystalline...nearly all of their former leaders and members were profiled. Any one of them could have potentially had motive to end Kylin.
Cartius sighed inwardly, leaning back in his large chair. So many times he was prepared to end them all. So many times did he have the opportunity. But Kylin pleaded with his father to not start any wars. As patriarch, it was evident now more than ever that Cartius's original decision would have been the most logical one to protect his family.
The hyur continued to reflect. Mayhaps the murderer was one of his own enemies? Mayhaps it had naught to do with Kylin's past at all? The burden of that thought was a heavy one indeed. He had failed all of his children- Seraphine, Elza, and now Kylin. All of his attempts to protect them in his own way were for nothing, and perhaps even the result of their ultimate undoings.
And so he coninued to reflect. And reflect some more. It was all he had in him to do. Should he seek revenge against those who wronged his family? Should he submit? What was a house patriarch to do? What was a father to do...?