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Post by VINCENT LAW on Mar 16, 2013 0:58:45 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: --
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "What's this about, hmm?"
Vincent muttered to himself as he leaned back against his leather seat, his chin almost touching his chest as he stared at the piece of note held between his fingers. His elbows were resting against the chair's armrests, and his feet was stretched out below the table. He was slouching slightly, a curious expression upon his face. He had just received a note from an Azurine soldier that General Cassiondra wanted to come and visit him. To others, it may seem unusual that the General would want to personally visit a Captain, instead of an Admiral or even a Commodore, but what little people knew about that the two knew each other at a rather personal level as well. They were around the same age, and had trained with each other a number of times.
In fact, the two had shared meals with one another many times before, though Vincent was well aware that Cassiondra simply perceived them as professional meetings than anything else. Cassiondra had moved up to the post of General, and as for Vincent, he was a Captain still, simply because of a single blunder that almost cost him his job. Alas, all he had was a suspension and a delay of his promotion. For how long, he wasn't sure, but really, he had no complains being a captain. He enjoyed being out at sea with his crew. He would sigh, before straightening himself upon his seat. Opening one of the drawers of his table, he placed the note inside, before closing it again. Well, she was due to come in a few.
Might as well get ready.
Getting out of his seat, he would wander over towards the full-body mirror at the side. Adjusting his leather overcoat, with his badges on the left collar, he made sure that his attire was slick and clean, before leaving his office. As he did, one of his sailors would halt in his path, the man looking quite rushed. Vincent blinked. "Yes?"
"Cap'n, the General's been spotted. She's nearing the ship." Vincent chuckled. Right on time. She was always the punctual one. He nodded his head. "Lead the way." Vincent would follow behind his subordinate, despite already knowing the way, out of the bridge area and upon the deck. As he did, he pulled a cigarette out of his inner jacket pocket, placing it between his lips. Pulling out a lighter from the same pocket, he lit the cancer stick up, before walking over to his air ship's port side. And true enough, over the railing, he saw the familiar blonde.
A warm smile came upon his face, as he stood beside the top of the ramp that allowed one to board and alight his grand air ship. And as soon as she was at the top, Vincent would raise his right hand, straightening his digits as he pressed his index finger lightly on his eyebrow. A salute.
"Good afternoon, General. Welcome aboard the Alexander."
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Mar 16, 2013 2:35:31 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]Knowing her men on a personal level was something that Cassiondra believed set her apart from both her previous generals and the generals of the other divisions. It was something she took pride in, and something that brought her a lot of loyalty from her Azurine men. It didn't matter whether they were a footsoldier or an admiral; if they had the grace and fortune of meeting the General face-to-face, then it would not necessarily be of a completely professional nature. She was determined to keep her soldiers at ease and comfortable, not force them to bend and conform to her every will and testament.
The Captain she was going to visit on this particular day was no different. They had talked before, a few times; Cassiondra had even been interested enough in him to do some research on his personal history. He'd been orphaned and adopted, and his adopted father had been reported dead. Officially, the documents stated that it was a robbery, and nothing more; Cass, however, knew the truth behind it. It had been Guild involvement, and that drove Vincent to seek out the Imperial Navy. Revenge against the Guilds as a whole. Some of this she'd heard from Vincent himself; his hatred of the guilds was obvious, and ran almost as deeply as Cass' own. She hated the guilds for taking her sister and father away, and hated the fact that she could do nothing better than send good soldiers out to die in skirmishes because that was what her orders asked of her.
In many ways, they were alike. And in that regard, Cass hoped this particular man would be able to join her cause. Or willing to, at least. He was currently suspended from promotion, something which Cass couldn't do. She had the nagging irritant Quilea Hovist to thank for that. A rogue pirate who'd stolen Vincent's ship, and as a result, he was stuck piloting another, suspended from promotion. Those were details Cassiondra was made aware of as his general, and she was given orders not to promote him. A fact which grated on her nerves, of course.
As she approached the ship, a few of the crew members onboard appeared to recognize her, welcoming her in quite a friendly manner. They knew their leader when they saw her; while she wasn't the ship's captain and not the person they took orders directly from, they were still under her command as the Azurine general.
"Good afternoon, General. Welcome aboard the Alexander." Respectfully, she saluted him back briefly, then dropped her hand. There was no need for extensive formality in her opinion.
"Afternoon, Captain Law. At ease," she stated, to which the men who saw her appeared to follow. A phrase she was quite used to. Luckily, it seemed these men weren't quite so stiff as her other soldiers, some of which would stand there at attention until she told them otherwise.
"I'm sure you've heard the more recent news, but nevertheless, I haven't seen you in a few months. I believe it's time I bring you the news from the capital -- and, well, a few other things, of course," she stated quite casually, smiling as she did so. This was the General that her men knew well; the one who could be both casual, friendly, and professional all at the same time. to put my arms in fragile hands |
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Post by VINCENT LAW on Mar 16, 2013 3:04:34 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: --
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "Afternoon, Captain Law. At ease,"
Vincent scoffed, before lowering his hand. Not entirely, though, simply bringing it back up to his lips to inhale another breathe of smoke. It had been a rather casual salute, and no one really faulted Vincent for such. He never was one for regimental respect, especially considering the fact that he was starting to get annoyed at the lack of action in part of the Empire. And besides, Cassiondra was a personal friend. And everyone in Vincent's crew was aware of such. However, that did not mean that they were as casual as Vincent. The moment Cassiondra had stepped onto the deck, someone announced her presence with "General on deck!" and every single sailor on Vincent's ship would remain still, at attention.
And the moment Cassiondra gave them to order to be at ease, every single one threw their fists into the air, yelling out the name of their proud ship. True, it was the second Alexander to be put into existence, but Vincent considered it to be the only one as well.
"I'm sure you've heard the more recent news, but nevertheless, I haven't seen you in a few months. I believe it's time I bring you the news from the capital -- and, well, a few other things, of course,"
Vincent nodded his head as he turned, gesturing towards the center of the deck for her to walk along, so as to clear the ramp for others to make use of. "Indeed, I've been keeping myself updated. What with this ship of the Ancients and all. Kinda hard to keep that sort of news down, even among the people." He replied, and as they reached the center of the deck, he would register into his brain what Cassiondra followed up with. A few other things. He raised his eyebrow, tilting his head.
"A few other things?" He repeated, before glancing around for a brief moment. When his crimson irises returned to Cassiondra, then, he posed a different question. "Would you prefer somewhere more private to discuss such matters, General?"
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Mar 18, 2013 16:30:37 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]Cassiondra was quite used to her presence being announced, therefore it was no surprise that it happened the moment she was aboard the ship, even if it was docked. The cheers that met her ears, however, the moment she gave them the cue, were quite unexpected. Cheers of their ship's glorious name reached her ears, and it seemed she was quite welcome aboard its majestic structure. The faintest of smiles crossed her face. It was these sorts of men, with strong hearts and spirits that drove her to do what she did. They were the reason her Resistance existed. To prevent them from meeting an untimely death at the hands of a stupid misake from the Imperial Family.
They walked along the deck as they spoke, rather casual in mannerisms, though she did get a nod here or there in greeting from his men, to which she nodded back. She quite liked the level of informality aboard the Alexander; there was still a sense of respect for her status, as she was still even their captain's superior, but it was not overwhelming and overbearing. No, it was like respect between friends, a true respect for the person that went beyond status. The respect that Cassiondra commanded from her Azurine men in all affairs.
"Indeed, I've been keeping myself updated. What with this ship of the Ancients and all. Kinda hard to keep that sort of news down, even among the people." She was not surprised in the least that the news of Zoe had reached even thsoe who weren't involved or nearby; word spread fast in the Empire once it got moving, and when it came down to the recent events, it had spread like wildfire. Of course, within the navy's higher ranks, many called Cassiondra's loss of them a blunder. Particularly the Imperial Family. She had failed, so they said. And what would they have said if they'd been there, she wondered.
"Yes, well. Nothing spreads faster than something like that, something revolutionary in that regard," she commented, though was surprised when they stopped.
"A few other things?" It seemed her second statement had only just now registered to Vincent. She watched as his eyes looked first around the deck, then back to her "Would you prefer somewhere more private to discuss such matters, General?"
"That would be preferable, Captain. The details of which I am to reveal to you are... Quite sensitive in nature. A need-to-know basis, if you will." That, of course, was quite true, though it was questionable as to what exactly she was going to reveal to him. Nevertheless, to anyone who overheard their conversatoin, it would seem like high-ranking military business; after all, for what other reason would the Lead General personally visit a ship to speak to its captain? Especially one such as Vincent, who was... Somewhat looked down upon by even the General's superiors.
"Somewhere which we would not be disturbed would be most preferable." to put my arms in fragile hands |
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Post by VINCENT LAW on Mar 23, 2013 22:29:09 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: --
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "That would be preferable, Captain. The details of which I am to reveal to you are... Quite sensitive in nature. A need-to-know basis, if you will."
And this last-minute meeting just grew even more interesting. Vincent's eyebrows would furrow in both worry and curiousity, as he gazed into the woman's eyes. Why was he getting the gut feeling that he was going to be asked for a favor here? Well, perhaps it was because he was a Captain, a simple and mere Captain, and she was the Lead General of the whole Azurine brigade? And adding to that, they were also personal friends, and throwing sensitive military information at Vincent only meant that she had something to ask from him. After all, why him? There were other capable captains in the Navy, and if she had asked for advise from her subordinates, Vincent would not have been a recommendation from them. Vincent scoffed at that thought, before taking another inhale off his cigarette. Turning his head so as to exhale the smoke downwind and away from Cassiondra, in respect for her, he would allow her to continue.
"Somewhere which we would not be disturbed would be most preferable." Vincent nodded his head slowly. "Aye, aye, Cassiondra." He pulled the cigarette away from his lips, before glancing towards the entrance to the quarterdeck. It was simply a gesture towards it, an indication, for he would turn back to her right after. "Let's head to my cabin, then." Suggestive, much? Vincent's lips tugged lightly at that thought. Despite Vincent's often flirtatious attitude towards Cassiondra, Vincent knew that romance was far down in Cassiondra's priority list. The woman was a soldier, body, mind and heart. She allowed herself no time for romance, and sometimes, even though he respected that dedication, he believed it to be a waste.
She was quite a beautiful and smart woman.
With that, he proceeding on towards the quarterdeck, allowing his cigarette to linger between his index and middle finger. None of the sailors really were bothered by his addiction to nicotine. They even recognized it as a part of who Vincent was, for the man was rarely seen without something lit between his lips. Under shelter from the Sun, the two entered, walking through the upper deck of the ship. The quarterdeck was a simple layout, really. Upon entry of the main corridor, one would see two doorways at the sides, and one at the end. The sides led to one dining hall slash kitchen, and the other was a war room, for when Vincent held meetings if need be. It was also a mini-library, with shelves of books at the side.
The door at the end, then, led to the Captain's Cabin, where Vincent both lived and worked. Walking her down toward sit, he would twist his doorknob and push it open, pressing his back against the wall then so as to allow her entry first. "Ladies first." He teased, a small grin on his face. And as soon as she had, he would walk through, and close the door behind him. The Cabin was considerably well-furnished. There was a table immediately at the center of the room, with papers, a few stationary, an ashtray and a paperweight designed in the form of a small ship in a bottle.
The bed was at the back of the cabin, and at the sides were shelves of more books and notes, a built-in closet, a painting of his late adoptive father, Alexander, and a coat hanger with naught but the same leather coats on it. "Please, Cass. Make yourself at home." At the private of his personal quarters, then, Vincent could be as casual as he wanted to be with Cassiondra.
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Mar 29, 2013 12:50:13 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]Cassiondra knew her words would catch Vincent's interest. He was the type of man to be quite interested, particularly when someone of as high of a standing as herself, both within the navy and within the nobility, came to him with such matters. It was for that reason, and for a few others, that Cassiondra knew Vincent was a trustworthy ally. Not to mention, there were things that Cass knew that Vincent likely wouldn't have trusted many others with. She wondered, briefly, just how much Vincent suspected of her loyalties to the Empire itself.
"Aye, aye, Cassiondra. Let's head to my cabin, then." The last statement seemed to catch the ears of a few of the men on the ship, though they quickly quieted under the General's gaze. Well, it was kind of suggestive. Needless to say, if they knew her well, they would know that even with the most obvious of suggestions, that would most certainly not be the case. She was, first and foremost, a soldier, and that was what mattered.
She followed him along the main deck to the quarterdeck, which was really little more than a long corridor with doors at the sides. They walked towards the door at the end, which Cassiondra assumed to be the captain's cabin, a design feature prevalent on every airship she'd ever been on. She made a point to disregard Vincent's comment about 'ladies first' as he held the door open for her, and simply entered, taking in each of the marvels.
"Please, Cass. Make yourself at home."
She smiled, chuckling. "I'm glad you picked up on the informality, at least. Being so formal can be irritating at times, and even I try to do away with most informality." Well, to some degree that was true. She rarely talked in an informal manner, but that was simply her noble upbringing. Ranks, status, and forcing her men to stand at attention, however, was something she prefered to do away with.
"I know you're aware of the position I'm put in, Vincent. Particularly in the case of your... Advancement," she began, crossing her arms and taking a seat at the table. "It grates on my nerves. You have the ability to move up in the ranks, but with that woman, Quil, still on the loose with that airship, there's nothing I can do. Even if I want to." She hoped Vincent would understand just what she meant by what she was saying. If he didn't, however... Then he was about to find out.
"I don't think I've ever mentioned to you what my position as "lead general" really means, have I?" She scoffed lightly at the phrase. "Mouthpiece for the royal family is more like it. I'm given leave to command as I see fit, so long as it conforms to their boundaries and what they want me to do. It's mostly royal politics, but a rather disgusting form of it. You yourself managed to luck out -- Azurine is probably the safest division of the navy simply because of where they are." to put my arms in fragile hands |
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Post by VINCENT LAW on Mar 29, 2013 15:50:40 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: derp-posted?
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "I'm glad you picked up on the informality, at least. Being so formal can be irritating at times, and even I try to do away with most informality."
Vincent chuckled, giving a soft shrug as he placed the cigarette between his lips once again. At the same time, he would walk towards the back of his office, towards the row of windows that was located at the very back of the ship. Pushing open the center pane, he allowed the smell and smoke from his cigarette to whisk out of his room, not wanting to bother Cassiondra. "You're no stranger to me, Cass. I've known you long enough to know how you are." He chuckled, the cigarette between his lips swinging up and down as his lips moved, before he took another inhale. At that, he turned back towards her, circling around the table so as to sit opposite her. Reaching forward, he slid the ash tray closer to him.
"I know you're aware of the position I'm put in, Vincent. Particularly in the case of your... Advancement," Vincent's raised an eyebrow. The way she acted sometimes, it almost felt to Vincent as if Cassiondra was feeling more frustration towards his suspension than he was. "It grates on my nerves. You have the ability to move up in the ranks, but with that woman, Quil--" His eyebrow twitched. "--still on the loose with that airship, there's nothing I can do. Even if I want to."
Ah, Quill. The famous pirate in the airs of the Empire, sailing in the ship that once belonged to Vincent himself. The original Alexander. The woman that was his first mate, and the one that was to be his, and the one that betrayed him in the end.
Still, bringing this topic up could not have been the reason she asked for a private session. Though, this topic itself wasn't just common conversation as well. She was building up for something. Was she suggesting something perhaps that could actually lift the suspension? What was going through her mind? Driven by curiousity, Cassiondra was granted the full of Vincent's attention.
"I don't think I've ever mentioned to you what my position as "lead general" really means, have I? Mouthpiece for the royal family is more like it. I'm given leave to command as I see fit, so long as it conforms to their boundaries and what they want me to do. It's mostly royal politics, but a rather disgusting form of it. You yourself managed to luck out -- Azurine is probably the safest division of the navy simply because of where they are."
Vincent chuckled briefly, though it was more of scorn than anything else. Politics of the higher-ups. Vincent could never get them, and was, like most others in command, bothered by how they could command and order them around when they were not the ones in the battlefield itself. "That's politics for you." He inhaled another puff off his cigarette. "And safe isn't always the ideal state to be in. As we sailors often say, there is always a calm before the storm. You know why I joined the Empire's Navy, Cass." He paused, allowing her to recollect the time the two had shared their life stories, somewhat. "I want to be in the storm."
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Apr 3, 2013 22:36:08 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]musicKodoku na Junrei - Fate/Stay Night OSTwords--- notesyeah. I was posting in 2 threads at once, finished one, got my tabs confused, and clicked post on this one. when it wasn't finished. #fail "You're no stranger to me, Cass. I've known you long enough to know how you are." A chuckle escaped the general's lips as Vincent mentioned that. It seemed that was true for a lot of the men she commanded, particularly those part of Azurine who were loyal to her. They knew she disliked formality, and when she spoke in a manner that was meant to be private, it was usually quite informal. Of course, Cassiondra herself always spoke in a very formal-sounding manner, as per her upbringing, but she rarely used titles and ranks to refer to her soldiers. Not when it was a private conversation, such at this.
She wondered, briefly, what Vincent's reaction would be then, to her idea. Her dream of a resistance that could fix the Empire from within. With enough soldiers and enough men loyal to her cause, the royal army wouldn't stand a chance against them. And to have a leader such as her, commanding them... Cass was aware just how much ability she had as a leader. It was the only reason her men were willing to follow her so blindly despite the risks involved. She was careful not to let it get to her head, but she was also confident that she knew what was the best choice in most situations. She had always been like that. It was the main reason for her success in surpassing her own father.
Of course, serving with the Azurine was in her Seychelles blood, but that hardly made a difference.
"That's politics for you." Vincent was right, after all. That was politics. Disgusting and disgraceful politics, but royal politics nonetheless. It gave her a headache just thinking about the level of politics she had to deal with regarding the navy. "And safe isn't always the ideal state to be in. As we sailors often say, there is always a calm before the storm.
"You know why I joined the Empire's Navy, Cass." Damn right she did. And she commended Vincent for it. Many people would have gone out of their way to hunt down whomever had murdered their flesh and blood -- or, in Vincent's case, the only thing close to flesh and blood he'd had -- but not Vincent. No, instead he chose a life of servitude, where he could see to it that such incidents were prevented. At least, on some sort of a scale. He wanted to fight the Guilds, because anybody with half a mind knew that the day Alexander had died, it was guild involvement.
They just had no way to prove it. And so it was ruled otherwise.
"I want to be in the storm." And she knew that. But she also knew that Vincent didn't entirely know what the storm was. In an attempt to keep herself calm, Cass moved towards the window, enjoying the fresh air that flowed in from it, simply staring out at the lands before them.
"Azurine is a haven, compared to Rouge and Schwartz." Her voice was dark, almost in a depressing manner. She hated to think about it. To think of all the men whose lives were sacrificed, and for what? To think of all the footsoldiers, the leaders, their captains and commanders, everything. Arijana, her sister, who'd been merely a standard-bearer, and her father, Eldryn, whose presence was unknown... All lives that could have been saved, if not for the heinous politics controlling them.
"Vincent. Every day I stand here, talking with politicians, dealing with every little bit of societal hierarchy and being nothing but a dog on a leash for the Empire, men die. Rouge and Schwarts are sent into skirmishes with the Guilds, and for what? Lives that can be needlessly wasted?" Her fists were clenched in her gauntlets, a very rare show of the sheer rage and agony the thoughts caused her. "They're nothing but tools for the royals, lives that can be thrown away without a care. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if that's half the reason the Guilds exist, is because of that. The ruling family is nothing but tyrannical dictators." Perhaps it was a bit prejudiced on her part, but then again -- these were people Cass had to deal with on an almost daily basis.
"They let Auldrant slip through the cracks, too. That was unbelievable. He nearly screwed up the entire mission on the train, and nearly got all of us killed..." She hadn't told Vincent the details of what had happened on that particular mission, but it was irrelevant now. The point of the matter was, Auldrant had been a commanding choice on the part of the royals, not by Cass' discretion. It wouldn't have mattered had she made her concerns known. The royalty was the ultimate authority, and even as a high-ranked noble, her word was nothing more than hot air, wasted. to put my arms in fragile hands |
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Post by VINCENT LAW on Apr 7, 2013 5:44:28 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: --
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "Vincent. Every day I stand here, talking with politicians, dealing with every little bit of societal hierarchy and being nothing but a dog on a leash for the Empire, men die. Rouge and Schwarts are sent into skirmishes with the Guilds, and for what? Lives that can be needlessly wasted? They're nothing but tools for the royals, lives that can be thrown away without a care. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if that's half the reason the Guilds exist, is because of that. The ruling family is nothing but tyrannical dictators."
Indeed, she spoke truth. The Rouge and Schwarts Brigades were the ones that were at the front lines. The Azurine were the elite soldiers, yes, but that was the very reason they were appointed instead as guardians of the capital and the Imperial Family and their subjects. They were the ones responsible for the defense of the Empire, and to ensure that the population was kept in check. They were guard dogs, nothing more. And as often as Vincent tried to get himself transferred to the other Brigades, for he did want to be in the front lines, he would often be rejected. Although the official reason was that they deemed his abilities to be crucial to the Azurine Brigade, Vincent knew better than that. They wanted to keep a closer eye on him.
After all, he did have links to the now-notorious sky pirate, Quilea.
"Careful, Cass. Those words are unbecoming of a general." He commented, and though it seemed like a teasing comment, it was more of a poke. A poke on her to simply reveal what she wanted to say. He was starting to get an idea of what she was here for, but he refused to accept it. Could Cass really be the type to take that kind of action? Maybe. It was nothing short of treason, and Vincent did not want to offend her by accusing her of such. At least, not directly.
"They let Auldrant slip through the cracks, too. That was unbelievable. He nearly screwed up the entire mission on the train, and nearly got all of us killed..."
Vincent blinked. "Auldrant? That excuse of a leader? Wow." His mind completely switched, then, as he remembered how Auldrant was. And to say the least, even Vincent knew he could lead a flock of sheeps better than Auldrant could with trained men. To say the least, Vincent was truly confused as to how he could have gotten to where he was in the first place. At that, he leaned against his seat, taking a deep breathe, before releasing it in a foreboding sigh.
"Just out with it, Cass. What are you thinking of?" He inquired, and this time, he allowed his voice to carry a tone of concern with it. |
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Apr 14, 2013 16:04:55 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]"Excuse of a leader doesn't cover half of it, Vincent." It brought chills to her spine just thinking about it once more. The way Auldrant had wanted to end everything... He didn't care that their orders were to bring the girl back to the capital. He tried to blow the train up, passengers and all. For some strange, psychotic reason, he wanted to bring down the only General who had brought order to the navy, so far. The only one capable of commanding such respect despite what many thought of gender roles and gender rules. She could command with fear, with awe, with whatever she wanted, and yet she chose a sense of the utmost respect from each and every one of her soldiers. It was a respect well-earned, and Auldrant disliked that. His stupid nature was just a guise...
"Auldrant tried to blow the train up." Her words were heavy with weight. "Including every passenger on it. Every soldier there to be guarding the train and our captives. He wanted to take their lives, every single one of them, and leave himself the only survivor. I guess he didn't count on the captive escaping, either, nor did he count on the fact that when lives are in danger, temporary alliances can be forged." She smiled. It was ironic, how it had all turned out... "Auldrant wanted me dead, so that he could surpass me. The captives weren't his target, and neither were the soldiers. I was. The entire time, he was waiting for his chance to end what work my family had done, to bring a true end to the Seychelles name." It angered her to think that. Auldrant wanted not just her, but her entire family out of the way, for good. Her mother Airiyel couldn't bear children any longer, and Arijana was gone. Cassiondra was the only possible heir to the family, the only one with the potential of continuing their family's noble history.
"Just out with it, Cass. What are you thinking of?" She almost laughed. It wasn't what she was thinking of. It was what she'd already done. She could tell, just by Vincent's reaction to her words, that he suspected already. She could even hear the concern in his voice, as if he were worried for her safety. She was fine. She knew what she was doing, and what needed to be done. Gathering followers was the next step, and that step came with a burden of risk she was willing to take.
"Not what I'm thinking of, Vincent. What I've begun to do." Now was the time to tell him just what she'd been leading up to. She of all people knew what kind of trouble she could get in; her actions would be nothing less than treason. Well, at the most, that was. It wasn't necessarily treason against the Gladiolan empire, yet. No, most of what her resistance did was take care of side jobs the Navy couldn't: breaking up slave rings, rescue missions, escorts, things that required soldiers that the Empire wouldn't be willing to provide. The resistance itself was known, but nobody was capable of tracing its roots to a single source, a single leader.
Except, of course, a select few who knew that particular person.
"The Gladiolan Resistance. The lack of power given to the Generals is causing a rift in the soldiers. Many of them aren't even sure what they're fighting for, or why they bother with certain skirmishes. Most of them wonder why so many times, they come out with heavy losses because of poor commanding and not enough men. Why the borders are so heavily underpatrolled, and yet more are sent only when it's necessary. Why we have to fight with the Guilds in the first place. The King wants conquest, and he's willing to fight tooth and nail for it, even if it means needlessly sacrificing soldiers for it. It would be possible to deal with the Guilds in a peaceful manner, but... The King refuses. From the way I see it, it's almost as if... He enjoys the bloodshed, and wants to destroy the Guilds. But not destruction as in their hierarchy and society. Destruction as in their people altogether."
She shook her head, turning back to her friend. "I can't allow that. It's just not right to treat them like that -- halfling, human, or dancing elephant. They're still lives, and they're still people. And the empire's so focused on the Guilds that they refuse to look into other citizens being tortured, abducted, whatever you may call it, right under their noses. They ignore slave rings that would take three, maybe four men to break up, to free the people being treated in inhuman manners. And that's only the start of it. They let psychotic men like Auldrant command their armies with the potential to cripple and compromise entire misisons or even entire divisions by themselves!
"I refuse to allow it to go on any longer like this. I refuse to let innocent lives be sacrificed. And so... I'm heading that resistance. And I'm sure you know just the level of success it has the potential to achieve with the right men to follow it." to put my arms in fragile hands |
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Post by VINCENT LAW on Apr 16, 2013 2:06:50 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true] | | | | | [cs=4] TAGS: cassiondra seychelles | NOTES: --
ARTES: -- | | [cs=4] ▆ "Not what I'm thinking of, Vincent. What I've begun to do."
From where he sat, Vincent straightened himself, resting both of his elbows on the arm rests and interlocking his fingers in front of his chest. He lowered his chin slightly, allowing his crimson irises to lock upon the blonde before him, giving her his full attention. What she had begun to do? What was she up to now? With all her build up, Vincent was starting to worry about what he believed she was suggesting. She couldn't be, right? She was, after all, the Lead General of the Empire's Navy. If the General herself was the leader of the Resistance, then just what had they been fighting for all this while?
"The Gladiolan Resistance."
And she started with that. Almost immediately, the calculative Vincent would close his eyes, taking a deep breathe as he listened to the rest of her words. And she then began to list down the issues that the soldiers of the Empire were facing. Well, most soldiers. He knew what he and his crew had to do. Their task was the secure the air space of all Imperial territory. And they were mighty dedicated to their job. Of course, Vincent would have wished he could do something more, specifically against the front lines of the Guilds, but alas, vocation was vocation, and this was his job, his part to play in their defeat.
And then came one line. "Why we have to fight with the Guilds in the first place." Why? He raised his chin once again, opening his eyes. Because they were wild, renegades, not held down by the common lies that made living fair for all people. They were murderers, degenerates and bandits. And most importantly, the Merchant's Guild. They were the people that murdered Alexander, and Vincent would now allow them to be spared of that crime.
"I refuse to allow it to go on any longer like this. I refuse to let innocent lives be sacrificed. And so... I'm heading that resistance. And I'm sure you know just the level of success it has the potential to achieve with the right men to follow it."
"... So, basically, you're planning a coup'd'at." He allowed himself to put int bluntly, before unfurling his fingers and leaning back against his seat. His head would roll back, as he stared up at the ceiling, the man evidently looking rather deep in thought. "You know, telling me this, I could bring this to court and get you court-marshaled. I'll get a promotion for revealing the leader of the Gladiolan Resistance, and I'll redeem my name, maybe even get a promotion." His crimson eyes would finally lower itself, staring deep into her eyes, the feeling behind them as passive as he could possibly make it.
"Do you trust me that much, that you don't think I'll put my selfish needs ahead of your ambition?" |
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Post by Cassiondra Seychelles on Apr 28, 2013 22:47:23 GMT -5
i just want one more chance [atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true]"... So, basically, you're planning a coup'd'at. You know, telling me this, I could bring this to court and get you court-marshaled. I'll get a promotion for revealing the leader of the Gladiolan Resistance, and I'll redeem my name, maybe even get a promotion."
Cass couldn't help but begin to laugh, ever so slightly. Despite the fact that what Vincent said was entirely a possibility, she knew it all too well. For one, she was a noble, and for two, she was a respected one. She had a hefty command of men behind her that would follow her to the depths of hell and back, and it wasn't hard for her to rally support on a battlefield. On top of that, she did her part and acted like the King and Queen's little yipping dog that cleaned up after herself. She kept her mouth shut and played it right, did what she was told, and acted like a good soldier. That was the ironic part. She had looked at every possible angle she could.
"Do you trust me that much, that you don't think I'll put my selfish needs ahead of your ambition?"
"So you're saying you would turn in the only one of your superiors that even had the decency to believe the raw results before her eyes of Alexander's death?" Perhaps it was a bit low of her, but pulling at strings was what she would have to do if she wanted to win this battle of wits. She was not about to give up. That simply wasn't the type of person she was. If there was a fight before her, physical, mental, or emotional, she would weather it with whatever strength possible she could bring forth. There was no backing down this time.
"And, on top of that, by removing me from my position, where I have access to both high-ranking knowledge to aid that resistance, you'll let others be victimized like Alexander?" Now her voice had gone cold, almost unfeeling. That was the raw, cold truth of the matter. So many people had been stopped from being victimized in such a manner by the men she employed, and without her heading the Gladiolan navy, many men would have died. She knew that. And she hoped Vincent knew that.
"Besides... Who's to say the royal family will even listen to you? I've no black marks on my record, and yet you've got a few yourself, Vincent. Or have you forgotten just how much of a mark Quilea Hovist has left? And even if it did succeed...
"...Then I might be liable to challenge you to a trial by combat." Vincent was playing a deadly game if he wanted to go this way with things. Amongst members of the Azurine division, Cassiondra was revered as one of the best, particularly when it came to reaction and reflex. Strength-wise there were many that surpassed her, but her innate ability to have learned the art led her to becoming quite renowned amongst her men -- and amongst men of the other two navy divisions as well.
"Are you so foolish that you would cross me, Vincent, if only to create more casualties?" to put my arms in fragile hands |
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