It's Good to be Home Again|Aegestrom, Maelstrom

[Kender Bard]

Luminous's eyes widened at that. "Was that allowed?!" she gasped. She could hardly imagine it being so. Was Maelstrom really that cruel so shortly ago? It sounded like a long time but Luminous knew that, in the scope of things, it really wasn't.

[Northen Light36]

Flash frowned, thoughtfully. "Technically, no." Not for nobility anyway. "But the villages like Thunderclap tended to be something of a law to themselves in those days and Amaro wasn't a particularly well liked young man. There was no one to speak up for him and say it was wrong. And because Amaro wasn't liked, people decided he was probably guilty anyway."

Flash sighed and shook his head at that. "Those weren't good times Lumi, and I'm glad they're over with. But anyway, to save his life, Amaro had to escape from prison and flee Maelstrom all together. Which people took as evidence of his guilt. Since he couldn't be arrested as no one could find him, Amaro was stripped of his title and the order was given that if he was captured, his father's sentence WOULD be carried out. Luckily for Amaro, he was very good at disappearing."

"So what happened? I mean, he clearly has his title now," Ann asked, caught up in the story.

"Well, at the same time this was going on, Shadow and I were becoming good friends," Flash replied. "And rumours started spreading that Shadow was going to grant me nobility when he took over ruling Maelstrom. People did NOT like that, since I was both a common-born street child and a water/storm. One day I received a message saying someone had my brother, Saph, and would hurt him if I didn't leave Maelstrom forever."

A hint of old anger crossed Flash's face at that before he took a deep breath and continued, "Well, I wasn't going to bow to threats, but I checked and found my brother had gone missing. Shadow couldn't help me, we couldn't find who'd kidnapped Saph and his power to do anything would have been limited anyway. Remember, Saph is a water and the capture of Waters and Winds as slaves was still legal then." Flash grimaced. "But I suspected Mathew Melissan, Amaro's uncle, had at least something to do with it, since he had already quietly threatened me once or twice. So, with Shadow's blessing, I left to track down Amaro and ask for his help."

Flash smiles ruefully. "I wasn't quite subtle enough in my plans it seemed, since hired thugs were sent after me to make sure I never got home, but as luck, or Etaf's blessing, would have it, when the thugs caught up to me, I was in the same general area as Amaro and his friend Talon, who were out hunting and came to investigate when they heard fighting."

"So they helped get rid of the thugs and helped you get back your brother?" Ann asked.

"Pretty much, though Amaro didn't want to help me at first," Flash replied. "Not with rescuing Saph at least. I was a complete stranger and here I was asking him to walk back into a land where he had a death sentence over his head. But I had a promise of a pardon from Shadow to offer him and, with a little pushing from Talon, Amaro agreed to help and we did rescue Saph."

Flash sighed. "It seemed perfect. With Amaro on our side and having his title back, we were one step closer to having a chance to end the long war between Talen'sul and Maelstrom. But it was slow going and Amaro ran out of patience. He'd never liked the court and he and your father, Lumi, had never been exactly fond of each other. He turned his back on his titles and left Maelstrom, after insulting most of the court and embarrassing Shadow in the process. Years later, your father pushed Amaro into reclaiming his title to stop Mathew using it to draw more people into Ekaitz."

Flash grimaced and admitted, "Because he was still annoyed with Amaro, Shadow wasn't exactly tactful with what he said to make Amaro accept the title, and Amaro hasn't forgiven him for it. Nor has Acqua. And so, there's been mild hostility between them and your father for years. I doubt that will ever change either. They're good people, but your father handled them very wrongly. Keep that in mind, girls. Be very careful in diplomatic situations, because if you make a mistake you might not get a chance to correct it. Shadow will never have Acqua and Amaro's complete loyalty now."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous's expression was deeply troubled at this bit of news towards the end. "What did he say that was so bad?" she asked quietly. Her father was the most diplomatic person she knew of. How could he have misstepped so badly?

[Northen Light36]

Flash hesitated, then replied, "I never asked Acqua, Amaro or your father exactly what was said. I wasn't there and it wasn't my business when I found out what happened. And Lumi, don't bother your parents with this either. It's in the past and he regrets it. You don't need to bring it up for him again." He looked sharply at Ann and added, "That goes for you too, Ann. You know the basics, you don't need to know the details and I've already told you more then I should have."

Sliding Lumi off his lap, Flash turned back to his desk. "Go out for a ride or something, girls, and leave the past alone."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous hesitated, feeling a flash of guilt. In a small, sad voice, she asked, "Are you mad at me for asking, Flash? I was curious... I'm sorry."

[Northen Light36]

Flash sighed and looked back at Lumi. "No Lumi, I'm not mad at you," he replied. "There's no harm in being curious and you're a smart girl. I should have known you'd pick up on how Shadow feels about Acqua and Amaro. It just wasn't your father's greatest moment and I don't like to talk about it because it makes me angry with him."

"We didn't mean to upset you, Flash," Ann said quietly.

"You didn't, Shadow did," Flash replied. "But it was several years ago and the only people who have the right to say what was said in that meeting are Shadow, Acqua and Amaro. So even if I knew, I wouldn't tell either of you. And since it caused minor issues between Shadow and Lya, I'm asking you not to bring it up with either of them if you two decide you really have to know."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous's eyes gleamed momentarily with a kind of clever slyness. Then it was gone and she hugged Flash tightly. "Thank you Flash," she murmured, kissing his cheek. "Come on Ann."

Once out of the room and down the hall a bit, she remarked in a sighing, casual voice. "I wonder where Lord Amaro is."

[Northen Light36]

Ann glanced at Lumi in amusement and shrugged. "I wouldn't know. But isn't your bodyguard Lord Melissan's brother or something? Let's ask him."

After asking Vortai, who gave the pair an odd look but told them Amaro was staying at Melissan manor and where to find it, Ann snuck out with Lumi and headed through the city to Melissan Mannor. It wasn't very far away from Brightmore manor, really, and Amaro was easy to find, since he was out in the garden working on a practice drill with his sword.

[Kender Bard]

Luminous paused long enough to fuss over her appearance (appearance was important when you left the manor) and strode cheerfully and confidently up to the manor. "Lord Melissan!" Luminous called out, her voice slightly amplified by her Wind power.

[Northen Light36]

Amaro looked over at the girls, then walked over. "Firstly, it's Melissan-Ronoh, Princess Brightmore," he said calmly. "Lord Melissan was my father and that is a title I have no intention of claiming. Secondly, I highly doubt your father would approve of you being here." He glanced at Ann and added, "Even in the Honoured Leader's company."

"I can look after Lumi," Ann replied. "Besides, it's not as though there's any danger here, is there?"

Amaro looked at the pair of them for a moment then shrugged. "It's your choice. Might I ask what brings you both here?"

[Kender Bard]

"I wanted to speak with you," Luminous said, careful not to bristle at Amaro's words. Good Forces, but he's a grouch. Well, she was a good little princess and knew how to smile as brightly as any courtier by now. The potentially perceived threat (he had not said that there was no danger, after all), flew completely over her head."About the past. I learned a little bit of history today and I was hoping that you could fill in the missing piece. You see, it was about you, sort of."

[Northen Light36]

Ann eyed Amaro with mild suspision, but she doubted he intended any harm and so lets the possible threat go.

"A bit of history that involves me?" Amaro asked, mildly curious, though there's more then a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Then I'm certain it'll be something I have no desire to talk about or something your father would prefer I didn't speak about. In either case, you should go home, Princess."

[Kender Bard]

"But it concerns me too, Lord Melissan," Luminous pressed, her tone simultaneously sweet and wheedling. She took a step closer to him and cocked her head to the side so she smile at him. "Because you see it involves Lady Acqua too. Her children are my very best friend. But I'm not an idiot and I know that there's something bad between you, her, and my parents. And I want to know what."

She reached up and touched her Wind sign under the pretense of pushing some hair back. Her words for a moment were his only, and they were much more sincere than the wheedling she'd been using before. "What did my father say to you that was so horrible?"

[Northen Light36]

Amaro looked down at Lumi, his eyes dark and serious as he considered her for a long moment. "Princess, that's certainly not something your father would want me to tell you," he told her. "If you really want to know, I'll tell you. But be certain you actually want to know."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous hesitated.

She did want to know. Very much. But she also knew that sometimes learning things could damage others.

Licking her lips, she trod with care. "I do," she said, and added quickly, "But.... Before I ask again so you know for sure... Can you answer this question instead?" She let out a shaky breath. "Is it anything that I can fix? Ever?"