Virtue Itself Turns Vice

Avacyn posed Caedes with a quite a question to answer and to the man's credit he did not shy away from her mild interrogation. She didn't mean to cause tension or anxiety for him or her sister, but he was her first real contact with a Syndicate wolf and his answers may very well shape how she was able to support Mariah in this and how she might handle the Syndicate moving forward. He spoke of his family's emphasis on loyalty and strength–a concept that their own family mirrored, but perhaps in different ways. He recounted what happened between Sephiran and Artorias after their take over of Norad from their perspective and if nothing else it gave her a better idea of why blanket declaration of enemies might have been made. Even if her loyalty still led her to side with Artorias in this battle of wills, she could understand not backing down from a direct challenge like the one that had been made to them. She did have a slight issue with the way Caedes spoke about their hostile take over–insisting that it had caused no bloodshed–but she held her tongue so that he could finish saying his piece first.

His insistence that he was only here to represent himself and his devotion to Mariah did soften her a bit and she glanced briefly at her sister as he spoke before returning her gaze to his. She wondered if his family knowing that his "personal interest", as he put it, would help protect them or bring them harm in the future, but she supposed only time would tell. She didn't think that Caedes was being anything but truthful with her so when he spoke of his love for Mariah she did believe him and that only made her want to help them more. She certainly understood the feeling of loving someone you shouldn't be allowed to have so there was no part of her that felt like she could stop this relationship from continuing. Still, she knew that Caedes was correct when he said that it would not be an easy path for them to navigate and she just hoped that he was truthful in finding a way to make this happen that would avoid harm on either side.

She could have brushed them off and allowed his view of the situation to stand, but she also needed to make sure he understood the gravity of what happened and he wasn't being fed a sugar coated version of things. "First things first... Saying that Sephrian's take over of Norad was done 'without bloodshed' and not understanding Artorias' anger with your Sultan feels like an attempt to minimize Sephiran's violent and manipulative methods and that does not sit well with me. I am not casting the blame on you, but let's call it what it is. A child was kidnapped and their life was threatened in order to force a father to make an impossible choice and give up his family's home in order to protect his child. I have no doubt that Artorias' version of things was painted in a certain way the same way yours was, but facts are facts and I will not condone that kind of behavior."

She considered the man in front of her for a moment before she sighed softly and told him, "Still... I believe that you are honest in what you say. I think only time will tell whether or not we can find a way to navigate this cleanly–especially given your Sultan's previous history with deplorable methods of getting what he wants–but I will give you both my word that I will help you in any way that I can. While I want to avoid violence as much as possible, I will fight for my sister. Have no doubt about that." She paused before she added, "I only have one stipulation that I will not sway on. Mariah will not leave Elysium to join you in The Syndicate. I will allow you to visit her here and stay here with her as often as you wish and should you ever decide that you want to leave The Syndicate to build a life with her here permanently you will be welcome to do so." She didn't often speak in absolutes or give hard rulings one way or another on many things, but this was one thing that she wanted to be clear to them both now. "I will not have my sister living under the regime of a man like Sephiran."

"Avacyn Medacium"