Lyra
~~~
To say that I was glad of Selene's return gives more credit to certain emotions than I would like to allow. To say that her return warranted more constraint and thought than I had to ever had to exercise in my short time as a Captain to Ivalice, was one worthy of any report I could write. Escorting Selene to Vayne was a task I carried out without issue. My real troubles began the evening of the following day, when I was forced to confront one of the members of the Judge-saving crew, and my past.
News had been circulating about Selene's desire to leave Ivalice - once she had given herself a few days to recooperate from her travels. Lord Vayne called me into his office with nothing but the knowledge that what he had to discuss with me was of great importance. I tried to hide my unease. I had not been called to a private audience with the Lord since shortly after my arrival two years earlier. The thought made my body numb. What if he knows? I thought. No. If he knew I'd be dead by now. My body would be dumped in some hole or hanging on display for the world to see. No, whatever he wants me for, it's something else entirely.
"Captain Xanthrope."
I bowed. "Lord Vayne. You wished to speak with me sir?"
He tapped a pile of papers at the front of his desk. "My daughter has expressed wishes to leave Ivalice - warranting a few days to grieve for the passing of her late mother." He caught the look of surprise on my face but said nothing of it. Perhaps it was the reaction he expected of me. "She wishes for the crew of the Wolfstar to accompany her and given what she has told me..." he took a breath, "I owe these people for saving her." He grabbed the papers and held them out to me. "These are my thanks." I reached for them but he snatched them back so they were a mere inch from my grasp. "There is, however, one condition. They will receive their gifts if they agree to accompany my daughter on her next exploit."
"And if they cannot be bought?"
His face went hard. "Though they may have saved my daughter, it does not distract me from the fact that many of those aboard are wanted criminals. I cannot be seen as a man who gives favors freely." He caught my gaze and held it. "Do you understand me, Captain?"
"Yes sir."
He slid the papers into my waiting hand. "See that they get delivered tonight. If there are warrants to sign I would rather not have to wait to deal with them."
"Understood sir." I bowed and took my leave.
I walked until I found a secluded corridor and shuffled through the files in front of me until I found the one addressed to the sister I had left behind. Seeing her had been the last thing I wanted to do and I had intended to avoid her until she and I were safely on different continents. Fate, however, seemed to have a different opinion.
Each member of the Wolfstar had been granted their own accomodation for the duration of their visit, though it would be more accurate to describe them as glorified prison cells. There were no windows, no flashy decorations, just a bed, a sink, and a toilet. The only way in or out was through a single, guarded door.
I made Shayna's the first visit on my list. Better to get it over with now than to drag it out until later. A nod to the guard and I was in, door shut and bolted behind me.
She shot up the second she saw me, every ounce of hatred reflected in her face. Instincts drove her hands to the places where she had concealed her throwing stars but the soliders had taken them so she launched a pillow at me instead. I pulled my head out of the way and heard it thud helplessly against the door behind me.
"You've improved your aim." I told her cooly.
Shay was on her feet in an instant. Five steps and she was close enough to reach me. I almost didn't see the glint of metal in her hand -
"The Gods damn you for what you did to Spira - to your family," Shayna growled through gritted teeth.
I had her wrist in my hand and the blade of my sword against her neck. She was a hair's breadth from death and I could have done it. I'd slaughtered helpless Spirans to get where I was, what more was the blood of the one I'd once called sister to the pool I'd been drowning in for years?
"The Gods have damned me; more than you or anyone else can ever realise." I sheathed my blade and robbed Shayna of her's before pushing her back so that there was distance between us once more. "I am not here to provoke you. I am just the messenger." I held out the paper from Vayne and she reluctantly snatched it from my grasp. "Selene is leaving Ivalice and she wants you and the rest of the Wolfstar's crew to accompany her. The letter details the payment that you will receive once the journey is over. Or - if you prefer -it's a reward for helping her."
She took her eyes off of me long enough to read the letter. Twice. She was silent.
"I also have another message, from those friends you chose to come here with. They are waiting for you at home. I was owed a favour and had them deported back to Spira. As long as they stay out of Ivalice's borders no harm will come to them. Not by our hands anyway."
She glared. "Are you expecting some kind of thanks or something? Do you think that helping a few of my friends makes up for what you did? You're a traitor Lyra. You betrayed your family and then you betrayed your country. You're scum! You're even worse than the lowlifes you wanted so desperately to defeat."
"Your father lied to you." I turned my back to her and knocked on the door, signalling to the guard that I wanted to leave. I heard the bolt shift. "The world isn't black and white Shayna, it's not just us and them. It's grey. Every last bit of it."
~~~Insert visits with the other crew members. To be filled in by them if they so wish.~~~
Our footsteps echoed down the empty corridor as we made our way to where the crew of the Wolfstar were awaiting us. My mind turned Selene's words over and over. I was to join the Wolfstar? I was to fly with outlaws and criminals? As great of an honour as it was to accompany one of such high rank - and to be recommended for the position by said person as well - I couldn't say that I was comfortable with the idea.
"They are a most...interesting...group of people," I said.
Selene nodded. "Perhaps a little more than interesting."
"They weren't what I expected," I admitted. "Though I didn't see much of them."
"Well, you'll get to see and learn a lot more of them. Perhaps they will change your opinion of them."
"Perhaps." I doubt it. "Have you informed them that I will be accompanying you on this trip?"
"Not yet." She had that smile that made me dread the future.
"Then it is not me killing the crew that you will have to worry about." It's the other way around.
"You worry too much."
"Perhaps I do. But then is it better to worry too much or too little?"
"I prefer not to worry at all. It seems to work for these guys."
I shook my head at her response. Our destination was getting nearer and with it I felt a sense of dread growing in the pit of my stomach. It hit my feet and I stopped.
Selene came to a halt a few steps in front of me. "Is something wrong?"
"No Mam. I just..." I fumbled for an excuse. "I have a question."
"Oh?"
"Where is it, exactly, that you intend to go?"
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OOC: Ok, rather than kill myself by writing Lyra's visit to each individual person, I leave it up to you to include (or not) your character's interactions with her. Just though it might give you a little something to work with whilst CT keeps the next chapter in suspense.
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