Roen stood at the edge of the wooden walkway looking out over the waterfall. Its constant roar bothered her not, and an occasional twirl of cherry blossom petals that danced through the air tamed the majestic view of the rapid’s long descent.
It seemed to her that Lavender Beds nurtured peace and tranquility in every nook of its grounds, and it was here that Roen had found herself recuperating after her escape from the Black Cells. She barely remembered leaving Taeros’ manse, her thoughts spinning and her body leaden with fatigue. She found herself on the doorsteps of Cliffperch, looking up at Brynhilde Wulf’s surprised expression. The Highlander took her in without question and gave her respite for a few suns, allowing her to sleep and eat within their protected walls.
Roen was thankful for Miss Wulf’s discretion. The Highlander did not ask for details and she offered quiet words of wisdom if only to give the paladin some reprieve from her disquieting thoughts. It was also because she was afforded a few more suns in Thanalan that she was able to find Gideon in time to stop the attack on him. But despite the valet’s reassurances of his own health and capabilities, Roen could not help but worry for the man, and wondered how much of his troubles stemmed from her. But in truth, she herself was in no shape to protect him, and she feared that being near him would only put him in more danger.
So as soon as she was able, Roen left Thanalan, traveling to Gridania in search of her friend, Kiht. Gideon had told her of what happened in the tunnels, how she had been present, along with Osric and a few others. They had gone beneath the city to try and rescue her, and to lure Taeros out into the open. How she must have worried, the paladin had thought. It was not the first time her dear friend had gone out of her way to try and help her when she was in trouble. So when she felt strong enough, Roen sought her out in Lavender Beds.
A cool breeze tossed her long forelocks past her eyes as Roen leaned against the wooden railing. She recalled their warm reunion, surprise and relief clear in the miqo’te’s dark gaze. But soon their tidings had turned somber, as Kiht began to ask about her affairs. The words the paladin had exchanged with her friend still rang in her mind, as loud as the pounding echo of the waterfall.
"I know that you believed in him. I do not know what to say other than he failed you. The only mistakes you made were mistakes of faith."
Kiht’s words had not lent her any comfort. Guilt still weighed heavily on Roen, and yet she was hesitant to set the course to lift it. But a part of her knew what awaited her. What she must do.
"Do I find him now? Make him answer for the wrongs he has done? If all he had done amounted to nothing, then…should I not at least try and bring him to some kind of justice?"
It was as if Kiht could sense the paladin’s unease. "Is he still a threat to anyone? Mayhaps you should not ask me because I would say that you have done enough. Let others find him. I know plenty wish to."
“He has killed before. He...likely will again. For reasons he has justified to himself. I tried to justify it, forgive, it, and tried to help him atone for it when I thought he wanted such things. I stood by him through this. Should I not atone for my own mistakes in that?"
Her friend had looked upon her, her gaze hardened. "You once told me that if you met your father, you could not hate him. Or was it that you could not kill him? Either way, could you truly kill Nero now? Because that is what will be done to him, one way or another. Arrest him and he will be killed. What if he fights you? That is why I say you must only pursue him if you can accept doing the deed yourself. As Osric did, with Taeros."
"I...I thought I could kill Taeros," Roen had confessed, shame constricting her breath even then. "When I escaped. I went to go find the noble when I realized there was a hidden tunnel into his manse. I thought that was something I could do, after all this. But…I could not."
"You found Taeros...but you did not kill him?"
"I was somewhat delirious. I thought it would right some wrongs...but to just kill him, that would not be right. To sneak into a man's home with the sole intent to end his life, he did not deserve that."
"You could not kill that bastard, so I am now even more convinced that you could not do so to Nero. You are a Protector, Roen. Not a hunter."
"He and Nero should be brought to trial. Judged by the law. It should not be delivered at the end of a vigilante's sword. Taeros was defenseless. Without weapons, without soldiers...could you cut down a defenseless man?"
Roen could recall Kiht’s expression then. It had grown cold. Her eyes held the look of a predator.
"If it is someone like Taeros...yes. I could.â€
Those words spoken by her friend still shocked her now. But Roen had to remind herself of what mattered: the virtues she upheld and the ideals that made her who she was.
"I am a free Paladin. I swore the Oath of a Sultansworn once. Nero put the people I promised to protect in danger. He planned for riots in Pearl Lane and arranged for deaths of women and children. I need to make certain he will not do that again."
Kiht’s voice softened in response to the paladin’s steel. "Then what can you do? You made mistakes. Mayhaps you should share what you know with Gharen or Osric. They can do the deed. You still have other things to worry about, do you not?"
"And let others take the burdens that should be mine?" Her own response had been quick, almost a knee-jerk indignation.
Her friend had looked forlorn, there was only pity in her eyes. "I only see two choices before you. Leave him, or chase him.†She took a deep breath in before she continued. “...If you chase him, you need to be willing to kill him."
Kiht’s voice was suddenly drowned away in the constant din of the waterfall, and another spoke in her ear. A face rose from her memory, one of ice-blue gaze behind soot black locks with their fiery orange highlights, and his eyes bore into her. She found herself standing at the edge of the pier at Crescent Cove with a blade between them that he had stuck between the wooden planks.
"Blood and war will fill the streets. And if you want to prevent all of that from happening…if you want to save Ul'dah, take that blade and eliminate me now. I am a threat. I will tear down everything you hold dear about that wretched hive of a city.†The cold fire in his eyes had not wavered then, nor his conviction. Had he known then, what would happen?
“It's within your power to stop all of this now.†Nero did not relent. “Because I will not turn away from my path. Not ever.†She remembered his smile then, it was without regret, without a sense of forlornness. “If you care about Ul'dah as you claim, then prevent these ravages from happening. Do not do what is lawful, not what is justice, but what is right."
Roen found herself shaking, her hands gripping the edge of the wooden railing so tight in her silent objection. She could not fathom it then, so many moons ago, killing the man who only wanted to see all the suffering come to an end. But now…now all she could see were the bodies that were left behind in his wake, and visions of more bodies that would litter the streets if he was not stopped.
Could I…? Her head shook inadvertently as if already answering herself. And yet, she knew inaction was not a choice she could accept. What is the right thing to do?
“Roen?â€
A familiar voice broke the paladin from her thoughts as footsteps creaked upon the wooden bridge. A sidelong glance revealed two figures approaching her: Kiht, with Osric Melkire in tow.
It seemed to her that Lavender Beds nurtured peace and tranquility in every nook of its grounds, and it was here that Roen had found herself recuperating after her escape from the Black Cells. She barely remembered leaving Taeros’ manse, her thoughts spinning and her body leaden with fatigue. She found herself on the doorsteps of Cliffperch, looking up at Brynhilde Wulf’s surprised expression. The Highlander took her in without question and gave her respite for a few suns, allowing her to sleep and eat within their protected walls.
Roen was thankful for Miss Wulf’s discretion. The Highlander did not ask for details and she offered quiet words of wisdom if only to give the paladin some reprieve from her disquieting thoughts. It was also because she was afforded a few more suns in Thanalan that she was able to find Gideon in time to stop the attack on him. But despite the valet’s reassurances of his own health and capabilities, Roen could not help but worry for the man, and wondered how much of his troubles stemmed from her. But in truth, she herself was in no shape to protect him, and she feared that being near him would only put him in more danger.
So as soon as she was able, Roen left Thanalan, traveling to Gridania in search of her friend, Kiht. Gideon had told her of what happened in the tunnels, how she had been present, along with Osric and a few others. They had gone beneath the city to try and rescue her, and to lure Taeros out into the open. How she must have worried, the paladin had thought. It was not the first time her dear friend had gone out of her way to try and help her when she was in trouble. So when she felt strong enough, Roen sought her out in Lavender Beds.
A cool breeze tossed her long forelocks past her eyes as Roen leaned against the wooden railing. She recalled their warm reunion, surprise and relief clear in the miqo’te’s dark gaze. But soon their tidings had turned somber, as Kiht began to ask about her affairs. The words the paladin had exchanged with her friend still rang in her mind, as loud as the pounding echo of the waterfall.
"I know that you believed in him. I do not know what to say other than he failed you. The only mistakes you made were mistakes of faith."
Kiht’s words had not lent her any comfort. Guilt still weighed heavily on Roen, and yet she was hesitant to set the course to lift it. But a part of her knew what awaited her. What she must do.
"Do I find him now? Make him answer for the wrongs he has done? If all he had done amounted to nothing, then…should I not at least try and bring him to some kind of justice?"
It was as if Kiht could sense the paladin’s unease. "Is he still a threat to anyone? Mayhaps you should not ask me because I would say that you have done enough. Let others find him. I know plenty wish to."
“He has killed before. He...likely will again. For reasons he has justified to himself. I tried to justify it, forgive, it, and tried to help him atone for it when I thought he wanted such things. I stood by him through this. Should I not atone for my own mistakes in that?"
Her friend had looked upon her, her gaze hardened. "You once told me that if you met your father, you could not hate him. Or was it that you could not kill him? Either way, could you truly kill Nero now? Because that is what will be done to him, one way or another. Arrest him and he will be killed. What if he fights you? That is why I say you must only pursue him if you can accept doing the deed yourself. As Osric did, with Taeros."
"I...I thought I could kill Taeros," Roen had confessed, shame constricting her breath even then. "When I escaped. I went to go find the noble when I realized there was a hidden tunnel into his manse. I thought that was something I could do, after all this. But…I could not."
"You found Taeros...but you did not kill him?"
"I was somewhat delirious. I thought it would right some wrongs...but to just kill him, that would not be right. To sneak into a man's home with the sole intent to end his life, he did not deserve that."
"You could not kill that bastard, so I am now even more convinced that you could not do so to Nero. You are a Protector, Roen. Not a hunter."
"He and Nero should be brought to trial. Judged by the law. It should not be delivered at the end of a vigilante's sword. Taeros was defenseless. Without weapons, without soldiers...could you cut down a defenseless man?"
Roen could recall Kiht’s expression then. It had grown cold. Her eyes held the look of a predator.
"If it is someone like Taeros...yes. I could.â€
Those words spoken by her friend still shocked her now. But Roen had to remind herself of what mattered: the virtues she upheld and the ideals that made her who she was.
"I am a free Paladin. I swore the Oath of a Sultansworn once. Nero put the people I promised to protect in danger. He planned for riots in Pearl Lane and arranged for deaths of women and children. I need to make certain he will not do that again."
Kiht’s voice softened in response to the paladin’s steel. "Then what can you do? You made mistakes. Mayhaps you should share what you know with Gharen or Osric. They can do the deed. You still have other things to worry about, do you not?"
"And let others take the burdens that should be mine?" Her own response had been quick, almost a knee-jerk indignation.
Her friend had looked forlorn, there was only pity in her eyes. "I only see two choices before you. Leave him, or chase him.†She took a deep breath in before she continued. “...If you chase him, you need to be willing to kill him."
Kiht’s voice was suddenly drowned away in the constant din of the waterfall, and another spoke in her ear. A face rose from her memory, one of ice-blue gaze behind soot black locks with their fiery orange highlights, and his eyes bore into her. She found herself standing at the edge of the pier at Crescent Cove with a blade between them that he had stuck between the wooden planks.
"Blood and war will fill the streets. And if you want to prevent all of that from happening…if you want to save Ul'dah, take that blade and eliminate me now. I am a threat. I will tear down everything you hold dear about that wretched hive of a city.†The cold fire in his eyes had not wavered then, nor his conviction. Had he known then, what would happen?
“It's within your power to stop all of this now.†Nero did not relent. “Because I will not turn away from my path. Not ever.†She remembered his smile then, it was without regret, without a sense of forlornness. “If you care about Ul'dah as you claim, then prevent these ravages from happening. Do not do what is lawful, not what is justice, but what is right."
Roen found herself shaking, her hands gripping the edge of the wooden railing so tight in her silent objection. She could not fathom it then, so many moons ago, killing the man who only wanted to see all the suffering come to an end. But now…now all she could see were the bodies that were left behind in his wake, and visions of more bodies that would litter the streets if he was not stopped.
Could I…? Her head shook inadvertently as if already answering herself. And yet, she knew inaction was not a choice she could accept. What is the right thing to do?
“Roen?â€
A familiar voice broke the paladin from her thoughts as footsteps creaked upon the wooden bridge. A sidelong glance revealed two figures approaching her: Kiht, with Osric Melkire in tow.
