Theme 07: Nadieja - Week 2

Feeling pretty happy today. Though job offers suck right now, I'm in the process of trying to find some relevant volunteering jobs. Keeping busy with life.

... and I just got a call from my best friend asking if she could come over (11:32 AM, started this blog two minutes ago). She needs to talk. It's weird, because I'd thought about sending her a message this weekend saying that if she ever needed to talk, she's welcome here... And I didn't, because I didn't know how it'd look. Life works in mysterious ways - but what is a friend who can't even make time for a friend in need?

So, I'll keep this one short (thankfully it's copy/paste-day << XD). A little bit about Nadieja's professional life, and a subtle wink to side-events I may one day share... once they are well re-written... :)

"Captain Seres ?," Nadieja exclaimed with genuine surprise when she saw him enter her office. She glanced at the clock. "You're very early."

The old human closed the door behind him. "I understand the matter is urgent, my lady," he wheezed, making his way over to his usual chair, "I was informed of my men's misbehaviour. Rest assured the sentence will be carried out. Man or Vampire, none under my jurisdiction deserve unjust treatment."

Nadieja let out an undetectable sigh of relief. She'd expected Seres to be comprehensive; however, not this laid-back about the whole situation.

"I also understand you released the incriminated Vampire."

And there it is, she thought, stiffening slightly in her seat. Seres pulled out the discharge papers she, and Devon, had signed earlier today, and slid it across the marble desk over to her.

"Your signature, my lady. I would like an explanation.

"There is proof of felony," Seres continued as she merely stared, arms folded, "One of my men was murdered, in broad daylight, and another assaulted. And yet you release one of those… beings," he added with a hint of disgust, "without further deliberation with myself, or with the Council – I know you well enough, Nadieja. You made this decision, justified it to yourself, and leave us to clean up your mess. My men are outraged. I must diffuse the insubordination you've stirred, and this will not be an easy task."

Nadieja waited a moment, as though expecting Seres to insert further complaints to his statement. He almost did, but decided at the last moment to hold his peace. She cleared her throat.

"Have they told you," she spoke levelly, anger flickering in her eyes, "what was done to the Vary—Vampire, Seres ? I saw. He had no face. They cooked him. Another would be dead."

"'cooked', you say," Seres replied with a misplaced snort, "I hear your Vampire's face matched his portrait when he left, with you."

Her eyes narrowed. All of a sudden, she doubted the old man's sense of justice, and her own appreciation of him.

"There is another witness—"

"Yes," he nodded, "the Healer of whom you speak is well known to us. She dislikes us Honorary, and is quite verbal about it when she happens to cross our path. Recruit Molven informed me of her, how shall I put it, of her flagrant hostility towards him. I would not put it past her to lie in order to convict one of my most faithful officers."

"Do you put it past me, then ?" she spoke, her voice a calm before the storm, "Have I any reason to convict your men? To lie? Do I lie, Seres?"

"… no," he eventually answered, remembering his place, "even though, with all due respect, I have known you to manipulate the truth to your convenience. In any case, my lady, my hands are tied. Officer Gordain has confessed to his brutalizing the prisoner, and lacking respect towards you, for which he apologizes. But he denies any and all allegations of torture such as you describe. No one will believe your Vampire."

She restrained herself, just barely. Clearly the corruption had spread further, and deeper, than she had expected. She no longer regretted setting the Varyi free. They would have executed him, under false pretenses. And it enraged her beyond reason.

When Lord Ashin had passed away in her bed, years ago, no one had believed her. They'd thought she'd killed him; they'd thought she was after his fortune, after his waning glory; the young female servants spread rumours and lies about Lord Ashin's perversion, whereas Nadieja herself only saw an old man in desperate need of affection. Then, after he had died, they had spread rumours about her: Nilja this and Nilja that, offensive, repulsive and hurtful words. The moment she had discovered, and fully comprehended, that Lord Ashin's last will granted her property of all that was his, she fired nearly every servant, and changed her name to Nadieja. Since then, she'd fought injustice with a fierce, unyielding passion.

She reached a hand towards Lord Ashin's portrait, a small painting always staring at her with kind eyes, and pulled it down flat.

"So you refuse to uphold justice, Captain Seres ?", she said, stating rather than asking, "Very well."

She pulled open a drawer and removed from it paper, pen and ink. The scribbles were fancy, but barely legible, as her written Human severely lacked with reference to her speech. Once done, she signed the form, and slid it over to Seres. As his eyes darted further down the paper, his face became livid.

"Is… this some sort of joke ?", he breathed to her, his hands trembling, "The Council—"

"—is my affair", she cut, eyes deep and solemn, "I am very tired, Captain. Your men have one week to share their complaints with me, as do you to inform them all. You will sign, now."

"My lady, I cannot—"

"I am very kind, giving you a chance to agree and to help me make Malmern better. Your permission, however, is not needed. Agree, disagree; from here on out, I grant any and all Honorary privilege to the Vampire Devon, who will be allowed to act in their stead, and who will report to me. I expect the Council to disapprove. But I want the best for Malmern. Do you ?"