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Well well! When she received a summons from Raubahn she had not expected Pipin to be there. But since he was she promptly threw herself onto him as Raubahn said humorously, “Apologies for the wait.”
Sunana giggled, for she truly had not waited long. When her feet were back on the ground she looked up at the man she viewed as a father and replied, “It was but a moment. If you deigned to send a messenger then I assume this meeting has some import?”
He nodded to her, a serious expression coming to his face as he said, “People are screaming for the Butcher’s blood again. No sooner have we broken up one mob than another forms. Thankfully, all have been amenable to reason…thus far.”
Ah, she suspected as much. Her gaze fell as she stated, “High emotions often interfere with logic. But as long as all reason has not lost them, they will not be lost to your words.”
He smiled at her, then shook his head as he stated, “Well, it is no concern of yours.”
She huffed, as she felt it was not his place to say what she should be concerned about. That made Pipin chuckle before pulling her in as he stated, “Have you not enough concerns on your plate? You can at least leave this matter to others.”
She pouted, but he was right. So she let it slide before Raubahn again approached her with seriousness as he stated, “There is a matter I wish to speak with you about. We must speak of the men Arenvald and his comrades apprehended in the Peaks.”
Oh? She had not been thinking about that. Too wrapped up in other grand projects she supposed. But Pipin sounded very concerned as he said quickly, “By their uniforms, the captives were first judged to be imperial troops…but after further investigation, their true identities came to light. I daresay you remember Yuyuhase and Laurentius-the fugitives who conspired with Captain Ilberd in the Crystal Braves’ betrayal.”
To even hear about it made her flinch, and though he offered a soothing hand on her back she still held much anger as she stated, “Of course, they were at the Wall too. They set the magitek free to kill all the Ala Mhigans, lending their prayers to Shinryu.”
Pipin seemed surprised, then gave a concerned smile as he said, “Well, seems I do not need to tell you of that detail.”
She giggled slightly, then looked slightly faraway as she said, “I heard Laurentius before he did it…he sounded guilty, I would daresay Yuyuhase forced him to. Not like that makes much of a difference…”
She was still in the present though, enough to hear Raubahn ask, “Were it in your hands, how would you punish these men?”
She had to think about that. Then she eventually said, “Execution is not the answer.”
Raubahn seemed very surprised as he stated, “You would spare these animals? Yours is a more merciful brand of justice than mine.”
He seemed to be under the wrong impression. So she gave a much more sadistic smile as she stated, “You misjudge me, I simply know that living with guilt is far worse a punishment than death. And people are of far more use when they have the breath to work.”
He looked at her with a different surprised gaze, truly he had misjudged her statement. Pipin looked surprised too, then tapped her on the head as he stated, “I fear your power drunkenness is making you sadistic. Not that you are wrong…”
She was right, she just said it in a heartless manner. Raubahn saw the truth in it too, and he told her, “In any event, I thank you for your honesty. When the time comes for the Alliance to pass judgment, I’ll see that your opinion is heard.”
“Well, pray not tell them it is mine, they will become biased.” Sunana laughed, knowing how much she influenced the decisions of others. A great many people had changed their minds solely because she asked them to, and they respected her. It was quite useful of course, though she at times felt there was too much power in it. In this case at least, one woman should not so huge a decision bend to her fancy. Raubahn and Pipin knew the meaning of her words, and Pipin asked genuinely, “So you accept that you have great influence over others?”
“Hard not to when people are willing to listen to others simply because I asked them to, even when they did not want to. Not to mention passage I have given to people I knew simply by merit of my company allowing them to prove their innocence to gate guards.” She had recently given passage to such a group, and she had helped the Velodyena Gatekeepers have opportunity to change the Ala Mhigan’s minds simply because it was her asking them to listen. She was clearly gaining influence here, and elsewhere as well. It would come in handy for certain, especially now that she knew she had it. As the two of them hugged she heard Raubahn clear his throat before he said, “Well, that concludes our business here, but there is more I would say. Will you walk with me, little sun?”
She had a feeling the thoughts were sentimental if he would choose to use her childhood nickname. So she gave a nod to her beloved before parting from their hug as she whispered, “Seems many demand my time to spill their hearts. Not that I am complaining.”
She gave him a wink, then nodded to Raubahn as they all began their walk.
-
He took them to a high vantage point, and as she looked out upon the land she heard him say, “I bear a share of the blame for Ilberd’s atrocities. Had I openly supported the cause for Ala Mhigan liberation, he might not have felt driven to do what he did…”
To that she turned to him, brow set with determination as she stated, “It was not only you he felt could not match his zeal for liberation. He even came to believe the more passive Ala Mhigans did not even deserve to see it liberated. If you cannot blame them, then you cannot blame yourself for his fanatics. The world itself shaped him to what he became.”
Raubahn was rightly surprised, she felt she had shaken him a bit. So she gave him a smile, one that matched the stars above. As she did he still seemed a little upset as he said, “Still, things could have been different, and I’m sorry they aren’t.”
His son had an expression of pain on his face, and Sunana tried not to let it influence her too much as she simply shook her head helplessly. It would seem she would need a bit more effort to drill it into his skull, and a bit more to drive the doubt away. ‘Tis well she was at least not alone in the effort. He was at least hopeful though as he said, “But even after all that has happened, my homeland is free. With the Scions and the Alliance at their side, my countrymen have reclaimed what many thought lost forever.”
She admitted that what they had done was truly something many thought could never happen. Yet in her heart she knew it would, and her fire burned as she looked out to the horizon and said, “Well, I never thought it lost. I never knew why, nor did I know I myself would have a hand in it, but I always felt in my heart that freedom would come to those who persevere, as Ala Mhigans always have.”
She truly had a high opinion of Ala Mhigans, likely due at least in part to Raubahn. That respect clearly made Raubahn happy, and he told her with great hope, “Under her new leadership, I have every confidence that Ala Mhigo will emerge from the shadow of the Empire and rise once more to greatness.”
Then he looked to the sky, and she felt a twist in her heart as he said with a bit of regret, “Which means my work here is done. Soon, I will return to Ul’dah, and take my place at the sultana’s side.”
She remembered what Nanamo had said. That she wanted him to make his decision with no regret. And it made her look down with disappointment. It seemed Pipin held it too as he said, “Father…”
Pipin sighed, unsure of what else to say, and Raubahn turned as he said, “I’ll not deny there’s a part of me that wants to stay…”
Then he smiled at her, saying with a bit of humor, “The same part that contemplated renouncing my rank and joining you as a wandering sellsword.”
Though she found humor in it, she still felt disappointed as he said, “But I pledged my blade to Nanamo. And I will not betray that oath.”
Dammit, she wanted to tell him. Nanamo knew him well, her words were fitting. But Pipin spoke first as he said, “Is this truly what you want, Father?”
“It is. Ever has my sword been hers to command, and ever shall it remain.” Pipin looked down, and Sunana did too as she felt regret. But Raubahn smiled at her as he said, “Thank you for lending an ear. When all the rest are clamoring for me to stay, I trust you’ll send me on my way.”
She couldn’t look at him. She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t bring herself to repeat Nanamo’s words. Perhaps it was simply his words overshadowing hers. So she turned away and sat on the edge of their platform, looking at the water. She sensed their worried gazes, and she looked back at them as she brought herself to finally say it. “Whatever choice you make, do so with no regret, or do not make it at all.”
He seemed surprised by her statement, then she gave a challenging smile. Pipin recognized it and immediately panicked as he said, “Don’t you dare-”
Too late. She pushed herself off the edge, switching to Ninja briefly to lessen the fall damage before she plunged into the water. She switched to Astrologian, thinking upon what she had heard. Honestly, it was such a painful conversation. One she felt she could let the salty waters float away from her.
-
Up on the platform Pipin had panicked and rushed to the edge so he could watch her fall. He knew that somehow adventurers never died from great falls, but he still worried for her. She safely landed in the water though, and he did relax a tiny bit before his father said, “Reckless, isn’t she?”
He huffed, because damn if that wasn’t the truth. She was reckless and impulsive, and thought nothing of committing such drastic actions. So as he looked down he said, “Quite. Much as I wish she was not.”
She had gone down pretty far, he could barely see her. And when several minutes passed he began to worry again as he said, “Is she drowning? It has been a bit.”
“I heard that she recently acquired the ability to breathe underwater. Some sort of ritual in the Ruby Sea granted it to Lyse, Alisaie, and her of course.” She looked up to his father in surprise as he asked, “Truly? She is certainly doing her best to transcend mortal limits.”
It sounded a little ludicrous really, and were it anyone else he may doubt it. But he knew her too well, so he sighed as he got to his feet and stated, “I suppose she is safe then. Adventurers truly are possessed of an entirely unique brand of insanity.”
And truly, it was bad for his heart to be so in love with one.