The princess seemed to appreciate being treated with respect, though the satrap seemed less happy. That was... probably manageable. The satrap would probably be more inclined to help simply for their shared connection to the House. And, anyway, the princess seems to have things more directly in hand than Papashan, to initial appearances. It never hurt to be polite and establish good footing and mutual respect. Between herself and a princess. And accepting a Dynast's potential mild distaste as collateral. Which was certainly a line of consideration to have, even as the more logical, trained part of Yuna knew it to be true.

The Dragon-Blood offered a smile of her own at Yuqi's light praise and accepted the offered chair only after Momodi was seated, eyes scanning the map with some faint curiosity before settling on the city that the princess was speaking of. "No demands made in exchange for safe return as yet, I assume?" Yuna asked, tone implying she didn't quite believe such an offer would be made.

Her attention remained on the map, mind turning almost idly. Momodi was the one they had summoned and Yuna's mentor was certainly more than capable of bringing raiders to heel. Yuna wondered if there might be a way she could assist, but she doubted she'd be able to simply talk the raiders into submission. Or cite the various laws they were breaking to somehow convince them to stop.

"Indeed not, and as you might have guessed we don't expect any. In fact, we don't even know if the missing people are still alive." The princess sighs. "That is not our only problem, either. With the withdrawal of many House troops from Kori, we've had to reorganize our own forces. Guards were sent to outlying settlements -- not that that did much good to Meitan -- and our forces have been spread thin. Certain... criminal elements in Jianta have taken this opportunity to expand their operations, in very obvious ways. There is a growing unrest in the city, and a real risk of collapse since most of our forces have been sent elsewhere."

She puts a hand to her temple, massaging it. "There's also been a string of very exceptional thefts going on in the past few weeks. Usually this would be beneath our notice, but several wealthy and powerful families have been targeted. They claim they've had heirlooms stolen, or their private vaults breached. While the criminals pressure the poorer citizens into unrest, this mysterious thief -- for it seems they have all been perpetrated by a single entity -- pressures the wealthy into turning against us."

Yuqi stops, glances at the satrap, then turns back to Yuna and Momodi. "There is one final, worrying problem. My grandmother, the queen, is ill. The royal physician believes she does not have much time remaining, in fact. Our line is strong, and usually enjoys the support of our subjects, if I do say so myself. However, a succession at this fragile point is the last thing we need."

Yuna nodded as Yuqi continued, expression growing more contemplative. Meitan was outside her area of expertise. More in line with what Momodi excelled at and the likely reason they'd been called here. But the rest... Criminal investigation also wasn't really her forte, unless it could be uncovered in the ledgers. But maybe something she might be able to influence, perhaps. The rest, though, the problems with appearance, in both the nobility and the commonfolk's eyes and with the succession, that she could work with a little more.

Opinions could be swayed an manipulated, a nobleman's just as much as a peasant's. It was a matter of knowing what sort of pressure to apply where to elicit the desired response. What were such things but long, infinitely complex equations? Granted, social math wasn't instinctive to her yet, not like actual equations, and got so much messier if you weren't absolutely certain the variables...

She might even be able to look into the queen's poor health; if it were more than simply the failings of age, she'd probably be able to find something on it with access to a reasonable library.

Though there would be a balance among all that between Papashan and Yuqi and she would have to be careful where she fell in that.

Perhaps she should request that Momodi leave her here. It wasn't as if she would be of any use in Meitan. And that wouldn't be presumptuous, would it? Momodi would prefer that she make herself useful. Yuna glanced toward her mentor, still staying quiet for now.

"Worrying, indeed," Momodi says, leaning forward to look at the map, resting an elbow on her knee and her head on a closed fist. "Where else have there been raids, or raider sightings, in the last month?"

Yuqi nods and proceeds to mark places on the map, leaving tokens on each spot she points to. As she does, Momodi asks pointed questions from time to time, to clarify a specific instance or get some more information from a point she finds interesting. Meanwhile, Nanamo follows the exchange, writing down relevant information in a journal; standard procedure for how the two worked together, as the chief steward had a keen mind for detail and sometimes picked up on things that Momodi did not necessarily notice at first.

Meanwhile, Papashan turns to Yuna. They were sitting next to each other, and the satrap spoke to her, leaving the others to discuss the recent attacks. "So, youngest cousin. I hear you've been befriending the locals already. Terrible business, that shipwreck, wasn't it?"

Yuna watched with half-attention as Yuqi answered Momodi's question, still focused on her own thoughts but trying to memorize at least some of the locations and details. The young Dragon-Blood might not be much use in actually cleaning up such situations, but she might be able to spot something in a larger picture of them, something that might point to reasons or strategies.

As Papashan addressed her, Yuna turned to him, hiding faint surprise. Cousin. She hadn't been at court with the Dynasts-- the other Dynasts, she was technically one of them now-- since all this started and it was still strange to hear herself called that. And to merit any of their attention, except Momodi's.

"Indeed, cousin," she answered Papashan, not allowing her hesitation over the word to show. "I don't quite know what happened, but I am thankful that our cousin was at least able to save most of the household. Though I am sorry for the sailors who were lost as a result."

"Bah. Lowborn servants. Their loss is insignificant," Papashan dismisses the sailors' deaths with a lazy wave of his hands. "Good job on ingratiating yourself to those tribals, though. Exterminating them will be much easier if they trust us first, they will never see us coming."

Yuna did not let her emotions show. It was years of working at the scribe shop, serving patricians and even, occasionally, Dynasts that had taught her not to let her expression waver at a comment like Papashan's rather than any training on Momodi or Nanamo's parts. An uncomfortable weight settled in her stomach. A little voice in the back of her mind wondered if he was being sincere or if he had been briefed on her history and this were an attempt to suss something about her out.

Not important at the moment. His attitude toward the Bao would be more... problematic. He had authority here, even if first impressions-- and those could always be a facade-- showed him for somewhat less than apt. It would not do for the ambassador she had brought from the Bao to be trying to remove the satrap's head.

"Hm? How do you mean, cousin? The people I talked to implied they had enjoyed a trade relationship with the satrapy. It seems wasteful to 'exterminate' them, as you put it, if that is the case. With how they travel, they must have an excellent lay of the land and its resources, no?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral and polite, a faint curiosity for his view on the matter. Not a discussion of whether or not they valued the lives of a people. Yuna met Papashan's gaze as she addressed him, but she watched his body language from her periphery, trying to gauge his emotions.

"Trade? Bah," Papashan remains dismissive, waving a hand. "What goods of use to us would these savages have? Surely they can provide no more than furs and meats, and not even at bulk. As for knowledge of the land... You might have a point there. But if they indeed have any knowledge that is useful to us, we can simply take that from them and be done with it."

Momodi glance over at Papashan, but she remains silent, letting Yuna be the one to talk with the satrap. For all that she is still conversing with the princess, however, Yuna is sure that she is paying at least some attention to the other two Dynasts.

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, no, cousin?" Yuna asked. "Try to force someone to give something up to you and they'll keep some part of it back out of simple spite, if nothing else. And I find most people have things to offer beyond their apparent expertise, even if those things do not make themselves known until much later. You will, of course, be more familiar with the situation here than myself, but, as I said, I worry that such a course of action would be wasteful of a potential resource for the satrapy and the Realm at large."

Yuna could tell Momodi was listening, though she did not spare her mentor a glance for the time being. Probably trying to get a feel for Papashan without him catching on. Probably not trying to make sure Yuna didn't set him alight 'accidentally' with a slip of her essence. Yuna was well-familiar with men like Papashan from her time as a scribe. The worst sort of customer, the worst sort of person, to have to deal with. At least for one of her station. Her previous station. How would he view her now?

Best not to risk her position and possible leverage in finding out, not that she had much intended on letting on about exact nature of her status in their shared House. And better to try to talk him around in terms he might appreciate.

Papashan seems to seriously consider Yuna's words, leaning back in his seat with a frown. "You might have a point there; indeed, maybe we could suffer these savages for a while, if they are as useful as you seem to think they are."

At this point, Momodi and Yuqi wrap up their discussion as well. Momodi turns to Yuna, "These are troubling news; the situation here is worse than I had been led to believe. It seems to me that our first priority should be Meitan; helping the survivors and securing the town back for Kori. I'm not too pleased with the situation here at the capital, however." She spares a glance towards Papashan, and her eyes harden as she does so. It is not extremely obvious to those that do not know her, but to Yuna it is very clear that Momodi blames the satrap for the problems in the province, or at the very least is very displeased with him.

"What are your thoughts, Yuna?"

Yuna dipped her head in reply to Papashan, allowing herself a small, internal sigh of relief. The satrap would be willing to listen to reason, if at least phrased in terms he preferred and to his sensibilities. ...And it would still be best if she went to see Y'mithra after this to ensure that there were no 'incidents' between them and Papashan.

The Dragon-Blood turned her attention to Momodi and considered the older woman's question for a few moments. She nodded. "I tend to agree, my lady. Recovering the people and the mines seem the most pressing issue. That is the most direct issue at the moment with what will potentially be the simplest solution." More than likely, fighting. Less likely, a peaceful resolution. Either was fairly direct. The former was certainly outside her expertise, the latter less so.

"Furthermore, helping to reclaim the town and its citizens could help to settle some of the civil unrest." Yuna nodded toward Yuqi. "It might cost some of the accreditation, but, depending upon how the situation is handled, spun to the proper thread, we could make her Highness look quite good and help to secure her position." Yuna had every faith that Momodi could handle the situation in Meitan with ease. And then it would simply be a matter of how they framed it. The story was everything.

But the situation in the capital could be dangerous to leave unattended for too long. And she'd invited Y'mithra here. Yuna was all but certain that leaving them alone in the city could not possibly end well. "All that said, unless you think the tribes that attacked Meitan might be willing to listen to reason, I will likely be of somewhat limited use, my lady. I believe I may be of more assistance here to our esteemed cousin and her Highness. At the very least, I may be able to help the new ambassador settle in."

A much more prickly situation here. It felt very much beyond her depth; who was she to be stepping in amongst Dynasts and princesses? But it was some of what she had trained for and she was certainly better with words than swords. She could do the most good here... as long as she didn't royally foul things up. Confidence. Always confidence. Even if the idea of splitting up from Momodi and into this court was enough to start her heart beating faster with much more anxiety than excitement.

"Unless you have a particular course of action for me in mind, my lady?" she asked Momodi, part of her hoping for the chance to prove herself and help Momodi as much as the other Dragon-Blood had helped her... and part of her very much afraid to be left to her own devices for the first time.

"Mhmn..." Momodi nods at Yuna's assessment, gaze drifting back towards the map. "Divide and conquer, eh? That might indeed be our best strategy here. Yes, I think you have the right of it. I will ride to Meitan and see what the situation there is, while you stay behind and work with Yuqi and Papashan directly on the unrest here."

She pauses, staring at the map for a few moments.

"These patterns... I feel we are missing a part of this puzzle. There is more to this than just random raids. No one expected the barbarians to strike so close to the capital and yet they did; be on your guard, it seems likely that they might strike at the capital itself. I don't think it is likely, and I hope they do not before my return, but be watchful."

Papashan scoffs and shakes his head, clearly feeling there is nothing to worry from inside the capital's walls -- though still not disputing Momodi's assessment -- while Yuqi frowns, taking Momodi's words to heart.

Yuna only dipped her head in acknowledgement of Momodi's agreement with her proposal, but internally she could feel her heart beginning to beat faster. Momodi trusted that she could handle the affairs in Jianta for at least the time being. Momodi was going to leave her alone and without guidance. Two sides of the same thought vying for precedence and all Yuna allowed herself-- all she could allow herself, you always had to be confident-- was the nod. Even if the others weren't here, it wouldn't do to worry Momodi. This was what she had been training for and she should be able to handle it. She hoped. "As you say, my lady."

She nodded in reply to Momodi's concerns, also worried they might issue a strike at the capital, but... "I'm sure we can manage, my lady. At least until you return." Or so she hoped. There were the guards and her own albeit limited abilities in combat and Papashan... had to have some level of ability in that regard, surely. "But I will, of course, keep an eye out for such things." As much as she could, while watching the princess, the satrap, Y'mithra, and probably any number of upper and lower class members of the city.

Momodi smiles, then turns to the satrap and the princess and nods to them. "With our strategy set, I think we are done here. If I am to set out on the morrow, I need to get some rest; the shipwreck took quite a bit out of me."

Papashan gives a grunt of acknowledgement, then rises and, with a short polite bow, retires through a back door of the room, his servants following. Princess Yuqi turns to Yuna, "I look forward to working with you, but I am sure you would also like to rest. We can talk more on the morrow, after Lady Momodi is on her way to Meitan." With a bow, she also makes her way out, leaving Yuna, Momodi and Nanamo to find their own way back to their rooms.

Yuna offered her own polite bows and nods to Papashan and Yuqi as they made their way off, watching them for a moment before turning her attention to Momodi and Nanamo. "I think I'm going to go check on the Bao's ambassador and ensure that they are settling in all right." And not scaring the staff too badly. "Unless either of you have immediate need of me?" she asked, glancing between the two of them.

"That's a good idea," Momodi nods to Yuna. "I'll take you to the Ambassador's quarters. It's actually close to our own, though I am not sure if that was coincidence or design."

Momodi and Nanamo guide Yuna through the corridors of the palace, eventually going up a set of stairs again and entering into the tower portion of the structure. Y'mithra's quarters are indeed close to Yuna's own, and Nanamo explains that this wing of the tower is meant for short-term visiting dignitaries like themselves; if the arrangement with the Bao bears fruit, Y'mithra will probably eventually be moved to the more permanent diplomatic wing, were other ambassadors have permanent quarters.

"Be careful while I'm gone, Yuna," Momodi says as the group stops in front of Y'mithra's door. "Be wary of the dangers we have discussed in the war room, but also be wary of Papashan. I do not think he would actively, intentionally act against us or the Realm's interests, but I fear that his... ineptitude... might be one of the root causes of Kori's predicaments, and it might yet work against us."

Yuna listens attentively as Nanamo speaks, tucking even that slight knowledge away for later on the off-chance that it might be of some use later, her mind turning idly over any potential implications but coming up with little. Not everything was a calculated move. Most things were, with Dynasts. But not everything. Not with every Dynast, anyway.

The young Dragon-Blood turned to Momodi as they stopped before Y'mithra's door. She offered Momodi a smile, hiding her hesitation and nerves at being left to handle things alone for some time. "Don't worry, my lady. I do have some experience dealing with people like the satrap. As long as I can make him think it's his idea and let him take the credit, things should progress fine." Yuna tried for confidence, but wasn't quite sure she managed it. Something different in projecting self-assurance in a more public situation than in trying to hide something from Momodi and Nanamo.

"I'll be careful, my lady," she promised. "It will be a... delicate sort of balancing act between the satrap, the royal family, the Bao, and all the rest, but well worth it if it can be maintained. And luckily I've had excellent teachers for how to keep such a balance," she added, dipping her head to Momodi and Nanamo both, hoping a hint of levity might distract from any slight uncertainty in her voice. "And you be careful as well, my lady, please. Both of you," she added, looking to Nanamo again as well. "I do quite prefer the two of you un-stabbed, as it were." Yuna tried the smile again, much less worried for Momodi's part in things than her own. She had every confidence in the older Dragon-Blood and her steward.

Nanamo and Momodi smile at Yuna's quip. "No promises," the other Dragonblood says lightly, putting a hand on Yuna's shoulder. "Everything will be fine, Yuna. We'll get through this." With a final wave, the two make their way away towards their own quarters, leaving Yuna to knock on Y'mithra's door. After a few moments it opens, revealing the still-covered sight of the Ambassador; though Yuna realizes Y'mithra is wearing different clothes than before. Instead of the heavy hunting furs that the guide had worn at the camp and during their trek, now Y'mithra is garbed in a softer assembly of silk clothes which Yuna recognizes as being from the local fashion; possibly clothes that had been provided together with the quarters. They are composed with other bits and pieces to fully cover Y'mithra's head and face, however, with the thick glasses covering their eyes, and the ambassador is also still wearing heavy boots and gloves.

"Yes?"

Yuna hid faint surprise at Y'mithra's current state of dress, both surprised to find them out of the thick coats and furs that had seemed so iconic to them and surprised to see them still covered from head to toe. But she only smiled and offered a shallow dip of the head; far be it from her to dictate their sense of dress. At least until any official functions were involved. Then there would need to be some adjustments, perhaps.

"Ambassador," she greeted. "My sincerest apologies for disturbing you, but I had thought to see how you might be settling in. If it's not too much of an imposition, might I come in, perhaps?"

Y'mithra remains silent for a long moment, before nodding and beckoning Yuna inside. The Ambassador's quarters were not as impressive as Yuna's own, but they were still respectable and much more than the Dragonblood would have seen in her previous life as a scribe. Y'mithra leads Yuna to the sitting room, sitting down and beckoning for the Dragonblood to do likewise.

"I am setting in fine. Your... cousin..." Yuna can sense some hesitation as Y'mithra says the word, and also some amount of irritation, "explained some things, and introduced me to some of the officials. She told me I should also meet the princess at some later date, but didn't specify when."

Yuna graciously accepted the offered seat and gave a sort of sympathetic smile. "Momodi can be somewhat... blunt, I suppose. And unyielding." There was a note of genuine fondness in her tone as she spoke that she did not bother trying to hide from Y'mithra. From what she'd seen of Y'mithra so far, Yuna doubted that trying to play it more politically here would serve her. "If you like, I can see about helping you arrange a meeting with her highness."

The Dragon-Blood considered her companion for a moment, then let out a sigh and forced her shoulders to relax a little. "If I am being perfectly honest, Y'mithra, I don't quite know where to begin at the moment and I imagine being perfectly honest is going to be the simplest way to handle our dealings, insomuch as I am able to offer you that. You've made your disdain for the Realm clear enough, but you offered yourself up as the Ambassador for your people. I admire that conviction. I respect it. And you're going to need to keep that dedication to the good of your people at the forefront of your mind going forward."

Yuna clasped her hands and set them in her lap. "You have worn your heart on your sleeve in our dealings. That's fine. I don't particularly care how you choose to address me in private. I assure you, I have been called worse and in worse tones. However, outside of your chambers or mine, you must take care to hide your thoughts and keep your emotions leashed. I will assist in teaching you to be a bit more... contained, I suppose. That is not something I can allow you to opt out of." The Dragon-Blood offered her a faint sympathetic smile. "Though I do apologize; the social dance we move to can be exhausting."

"I told Snow Lily that I would aid your people to my best ability and so I will. I'm interested in getting through this with as little violence as possible; it's not my forte and I don't find it particularly pleasant, regardless of who is getting hurt. Papashan, however, as you had surmised when we met, is less... directly interested in resolving things peacefully, necessarily. I don't know if he doesn't care for the tribes specifically or simply anyone who isn't a Dynast, but winning him over to a more delicate, finely detailed solution will require work. And it will need to be done."

She kept Y'mithra's eye, her own gaze steady and firm. Be like Momodi. Just a little bit like Momodi. Pray this didn't explode in her face. "Papashan is the satrap, so his word will hold more weight than mine; I cannot countermand him. Momodi might be able to force him to act as she prefers, but that would create an awkward situation and, either way, she will be going to handle the situation in Meitan. I think her Highness, Princess Yuqi, might be a potential ally, but, again, she will not supersede the satrap."

Yuna let out a long breath, which carried just a hint of smoke, and concluded, "All of which is to say, the political situation is complicated. The most powerful man in the city is not well-disposed toward you or your cause. And I will help you as much as I can, but I very much need you to guard your thoughts and feelings and please do not try to attack the satrap, aye? No matter what ill-considered word passes his lips. Work with me as I will try to work with you."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:58, Fri 25 Sept 2020.

Y'mithra listens to Yuna's speech without saying anything. A long moment passes after Yuna is finished, and then the hunter lets out a long sigh. They recline back in their own seat, looking at the ceiling, and for a moment Yuna thinks they will just ignore her words.

"I'm familiar with how the Realm works, Yuna. I wasn't always with the Bao."

Y'mithra leans forward in the seat, then reaches up and starts unwinding the cloths wrapped around their head, letting the thick obscuring glasses fall softly into the cushions beside them. After removing all the clothing, Y'mithra turns to Yuna. They are bald, their head and the left side of their face covered in a mass of burn scars. The right side does not fare better, filled with scars from cuts and slashes. Their nose is missing, as is their left ear, while the right is a mangled mess of meat and cartilage. The only unmarred feature in their face is their mismatched eyes, one a deep azure blue and the other a grassy emerald green. It is impossible to tell what their age is from their wounded features.

"I know very well what happens to those that don't conform with how the Realm expects its 'subjects' to act, Yuna. I need only look in a mirror to be reminded of the punishment of straying too far."

Y'mithra stands up and walks toward the window, gazing out into the city and clasping their hands behind their back.

"I watched you and your companion in our camp. Then I watched you here in the city. I can see you're different, Yuna. But trust isn't so simple." Y'mithra pauses. "You don't need to worry about my 'savage' manners. I many never have been high class, but I know how to perform for you Realm types. I'm here to secure a future for my people, no matter what personal sacrifices I need to make."

It took all of her training from both her time as a scribe and everything Momodi had been trying to instill in her for Yuna to rein in her reaction to Y'mithra unveiling their face. Even then, she couldn't keep a slight twinge from her expression, something between sympathy and horror. She... was not accustomed to such sights. Violence, she avoided. As much as she could. She had not been to war or battle or... whatever had caused such thorough injuries to her companion. Thorough in a way that made her wonder if they had not been incidental.

She watched Y'mithra as they went to stand at the window, quiet for a long moment. "Well," she began slowly, "it sounds like we won't have to worry about the basics, then. But I don't want you to just be proficient. I want you to excel. As much as I can help you do so. So, if you're willing, I can brush you up on politics and etiquette. Perhaps tutor you on some of the other languages you may encounter." There was an almost involuntary note of excitement that entered her voice at that.

"I apologize if my assumptions have caused offense. Being more blunt seemed... well, sometimes it's just easier to lay the cards on the table and work from there." A little uncertainty there. How long since she had been fully honest with anyone but Momodi or Nanamo? How long before then since she had been fully honest with anyone? "I've meant what I've said, if it helps. I would like to assist you and the Bao as best I can. It will be easier if we can coordinate and at least not be tripping over each other while we aim for the same goal."

Tentative optimism mixed with a somewhat softer tone than before. She didn't know what to say to the revelation or the scars. Pity wouldn't help them and she didn't think Y'mithra would care for it. But she didn't need to be quite so... firm as she had been. That felt too forward for the moment. Always analyzing. Part of Yuna felt guilty for it, for the way she could rarely step back from dissecting everything, but... well, she didn't know what else to do.

As Yuna makes mention of tutoring, Y'mithra chuckles. "Perhaps. The burdens of civilized discourse are a small price to pay for the safety of my tribe." The hunter -- no, the ambassador -- pauses, still looking out through the window. "I have a favor to ask. It would help to sell my image as an ambassador, not to mention easier for me, if I had proper clothes. Perhaps a mask. Done properly, I could have an outfit that would still cover... me... but that would not make me seem as alien as walking around covered in wraps would."

Yuna perked up at the almost-agreement to be tutored in language, mind already beginning to file through where to start and with which language that might be. She'd have to check in on Y'mithra's proficiency beyond Skytongue; High Realm would be most important after that, but Low Realm would still have its uses. Low would be easier to teach, but if Y'mithra already had experience with the Realm, they may well already have some degree of fluency in it. That'd make High a bit simpler.

The Dragon-Blooded blinked and shook her head turning her attention back to the conversation and giving Y'mithra a bit more of a critical eye. They had a point. Their current mode of dress certainly fit for rugged wilderness expert and savior, but perhaps less for ambassador. "A fair point. I don't suppose you have your measurements handy, do you? If not, we'll need to get them. I can assist with that, if you'd prefer not to involve anyone else in that," she offered, figuring they would prefer a fitting be more private. "Then we can bring those to a reputable tailor in the city and work something out to your specifications."

There'd be tailors working for Papashan and Yuqi, but it'd be better if Y'mithra established themself somewhat more separately rather than relying on the crown... and she wasn't going to give any aspect of this over to Papashan's people if she could avoid it. Yuna had a feeling that would go very poorly, very quickly. "We'll also need to ask them for information on styles and colors, make sure we avoid any faux pas in that regard..." She trailed off, thinking. Another facet of the equation that she hadn't quite considered.