Alister was not exactly looking forward to what would come next. He’d have to turn back up eventually, and the longer he took the worse it would get. Better to rip the bandage off early than let it fester.

He had a lot of thoughts, ideas how this would go. He silently hoped that she’d be lenient… but he doubted it. What he didn’t expect would be to see her sitting calmly on a chair, legs politely crossed near the back of a crowd of nobles.

He swallowed a lump in his throat as she casually gestured him closer. His anxiety was beginning to become fear, but there was nothing he could do here… nothing except do as he was told.

“Ah, Alister. Good, I’m glad you’re able to move about… though those wounds will scar terribly… The three of you handled yourselves quite well in battle. It almost looked like a functioning party,” she said in a completely flat tone, utterly cold. Alister felt like a rat trapped in a corner by a cat.

“I… thank you…”

“Alister? I have a question for you,” she said in that same cool tone. “I don’t mean to pry about your past, should you not be ready to discuss such a thing… but I must know. Did you have any children? Perhaps some other kind of sapient dependent?”

The boy didn’t expect the question, but he had a growing knot in his gut that said this line of questioning would not be leading anywhere he would like. “I did. I led a small group of like minds and rejects…” he said, trying to put off whatever was coming next.

This got a politely interested “hmm?” and let him continue his momentary distraction as long as he pleased. He couldn’t get away. “I see, that’s very interesting. It… really does fit. But if I may continue…”

It was strictly a formality that she asked, of course. But that was what Alliana did; formality. It was a safety blanket. “Of course…”

“How would YOU handle this situation? You disappear at the slightest provocation, constantly put yourself into unfathomable amounts of danger, and never give a second thought to my desires on these subjects."

Alister stared, somewhat dumbfounded. “I… I would…” he began, but no words followed it. What WOULD he do? What choices did he even have?

"You get swept up into every single emotional reaction you have, with no restraint or consideration about how it makes other people feel. Have no consideration to the hell that we went through to have a child in the first place. Tell, me, Alister, what you would do to make this stop. Because as it is I have no idea what to do, and it's killing me. I was scared when you got your memories that I was going to lose my boy to him becoming someone else, someone who wouldn’t need his mother… but I see now that I needn’t worry about that. No, now I am only left to be scared that you are going to get yourself killed in some foolish way. I understand how your uncle must feel about Morgan, now. It’s not enough that I have to fear for your life from OTHER threats. You being a Margrave and Heir of the Duchy isn’t enough hazard, no, I have to worry about you putting yourself into danger knowingly without even the support of other military personnel," the words began to flow faster, and the shine of tears appeared in her eyes… but didn’t fall.

A terrible guilt struck Alister, then. Was that what he was doing, in her eyes? Was he really being so selfish that he couldn’t even see how others felt…? “I… I don’t know what I would do. That sounds so difficult to deal with… the constant anxiety…” he muttered. “B-but it’s not like I’m worrying you that way intentionally! I-I just…” he stammered, doing his best to douse this anger at himself that he would do that to his own mother. “I’m sorry…” he muttered softly.

Alliana took a deep breath and exhaled as a tear fell and she dabbed it away delicately… a strange sight, given how she took a shard of crystal to the spine that punched right through platemail, chainmail, a gambison, a hardened human body, and then back out the other side and only caught a few broken ribs. “I know it’s not your goal. And I know you’re sorry. But you know that I must punish you. So answer my question. What would you do?”

Alister winced, having known that he’d be punished but worrying what creative means his mother might come up with to make sure he never forgot the lesson. She wasn’t one to teach a lesson more than once, so she’d be quite thorough… and yet she offered him this life raft. But if he softballed it too hard she’d be so upset. Best to answer honestly… and it was not an answer he liked. “I would… I would keep them busy. Usually with some kind of self-improvement oriented task like exercises, studying, meditation and energy control practices… if I couldn’t trust someone with free time, I just made sure they didn’t have any…” he muttered, tears welling up in his eyes as he ate himself from the inside with the idea of hurting her the way he had.

Wisteria stood awkwardly nearby, gnawing her lip anxiously. She bounced uncomfortably from foot to foot, studying the dents and splintered spots that now adorned her new gun. A few scuffs was one thing, but she just got it so recently…

She tried to focus on this before she felt a gaze land on her. “Wisteria, Neth’Rehxis,” Alliana said, letting out a sigh. “I must admit, I’m both impressed and disappointed in you. You didn’t even consider what kind of position you put me in by rushing into danger that way. This wasn’t like the crabs, no, there it was at least something safe, and you had someone strong with you. But this time… this time you jumped right in after my fool son without a moment of hesitation. So while I cannot condone what you have done, as it IS my responsibility to look after you, I can say… thank you. Who knows what may have happened to Alister had he been alone in there.”

Alister was ordered, officially even, to stay within his mother’s sight, and it was implied that order also applied to both Wisteria and Neth’Rehxis… and they weren’t going to find out if that was correct.

While waiting, they were eventually approached by a bloodsoaked King Kendrick. The black fur cloak was slick, some of it sticking out in wild directions due to dried blood. “Hey, kids, that was fuckin’ dumb,” he said as he chewed a mouthful of turkey, the entire leg still in hand. “I like it. That was some gusto, and I’m always happy to see a noble that’s not a coward,” he said with an open handed clap to Alister’s back.

This aggravated his broken ribs, leaving him breathless from the pain, so Wisteria spoke up first. “I agree… it was dumb,” she said with a sigh. “But we couldn’t let him do it alone.”

This just got a nod from Kendrick as he took another bite, and a sigh of reminiscence from the approaching Maple, the slime woman who spoke during the funeral. “Now doesn’t that sound familiar,” she said with an entertained grin. “Lemme guess, you’re going to give them something?”

Kendrick narrowed his eyes at her, swallowing his food. “How did you know?”

“Because you’re predictable, friend.”

“Yes… well… Wisteria, you’re a commoner, right? What’s your last name?”

“Yes… and it is O’neah” she said, a bit concerned about wherever this might be going.

“Well, now you’re duchess O’neah. How’s that for predictable?” he said with a smug smile. This only got a pat on his head from the slime.

“Perfectly in line,” she said, with Saana scoffing.

“Don’t try to be clever, dear, it doesn’t suit you. Anyway, I agree completely, which is more important,” she said with a wave of her hand. “It’ll piss nobles from your own country off, which is enough for me. Don’t worry, I’ll appoint a series of counts to take care of your lands until you’re old enough to take up the title formally,” she said with a bright smile.

This just got an open mouthed stare from everyone present, including the king… who proceeded to burst out laughing. “Well, I guess that takes care of the gap in nobility that you two have,” he said, shaking his head with a sigh as he winced, “I suppose we’ll need to give you a protective detail now, since you’re technically foreign nobility. Blas?”

The duke, who had been watching from a short distance, walked closer. “Yes, my king. I’ll see to it that my peer is offered appropriate protection. Her mother, as well,” he said, offering Wisteria a sarcastic bow. “It is only fitting for one of your station to formally stay with our noble family. Should you be interested, we will prepare you a room at the castle. I believe we have one open next to Alister’s.”

“W-wait! What?! Don’t I get a say in this?” Wisteria said, clearly overwhelmed.

There was a chorus of “no” coming from Blas, King Augustus, Maple, Saana, even Alister.

“Oh… okay…”

This just got a sigh from King Augustus, who shook his head. “Absolutely wild, those two. I’m almost jealous of how carefree they are at times… but they’ll have to shape up eventually, for the good of their people,” he said. “Regardless, I’m afraid the lot of you are going to have to bear with me for a while. We’re going to be locking down the city from top to bottom to ensure that all the embers of rebellion have been properly stomped out,” he explained as he paced, arms behind his back, wrist in hand. “Whatever aid you may feel like rendering will be appreciated.”