The Right Choice?
She sat leaning back in the chair, her feet propped up on the desk, gun lying on the table. Paulida stood in front of her. “You wanted to talk to me?” She looked at him with tears in her eyes, “You did it, didn't you?” He said, “Did what?” She reached, inching her fingers on the desk. “You killed them, you killed them.” He said, “Killed who?” “Tell me why, why did you do it?” he understood what she was saying. “I don't know.” “What went through your mind when you killed them?” “I don't know.” “Is that all you have to say? You killed them, you killed my parents, my siblings, were you just following orders or did you do it for your own pleasure?” He frowned, “I-i was following orders, i wasnt sure who I was, then my mind was a tangled mess between four souls, wires crossed.” “Why didn't you kill me, too? Why did you let me live? Why did you do what you did?” He thought for a moment, “I was stuck in a loop. I've lived and died. I was a soldier, and I followed orders.” “Why? They didn't even have weapons. You killed them in cold blood.” He stepped forward, “I don't want, didn't want to kill them, I-i you reminded me of someone.” “Someone you killed?” He frowned and looked down. “My daughter, or rather Ishmael santos daughter.” “She dead too?” Paulida shook his head, “Likely, the memories I have of him are all full of hatred and regret after a certain point when he died, his last memory was of her.” She reached for the gun, “Why, though why did you take me with you, why did you raise me all these years, teach me to fight?”
“I had to, i couldn't let you die, i couldn't let another innocent die by my hands.” “You playing at absolution then?” Paulida frowned, “Yes, I consider you my daughter, raising you was a part of my self-imposed torment, seeing the face and eyes of the woman I murdered, truthfully I had hoped that should you discover my atrocities that you would be the one to end me.” “Was that your goal then? To raise your absolution?” He looked at her flatly. “Yes, in some twisted way, I am a sinner, and I hope to pay the price for them. I had hoped that you would be the deliverer of my absolution as my daughter.” She raised the gun and aimed it at him. “You deserve no such absolution.” She pulled the trigger, and a sound like whooshing air came from the barrel.
They were lying side by side, looking at the stars. “What is this surprise adventure Carmilla was talking about?” she said to him. He turned his head to look at her. “Oh, right, they haven't told you yet, we are going to the Principato Riviera.” She looked at him with interest. “The casino town?” he shook his head. “Yea its the annual Noble house meetings that happen on the first of spring every year all of the houses get together and squabble for a while, but this means that i should be able to plead my innocence to them and clan Lorea is very friendly with other houses so i should be able to get them to rescind any sort of suspicion from the queens murder and hopefully if all goes well get you a status as a member of clan Lorea if you still want it.” “What is there on Riviera island?” he looked back up at the sky “well aside from casinos there's likely to be a ball, bars and brothels if that's more your speed too, it will be fun and i know you are very aware of a specific guest who will be in attendance.” she looked him in the eyes indigo met green “Are you talking about her?” He shook his head “yes mom will be there.” She smiled “when do we leave tomorrow?” he shook his head “we leave in a week and then it will be a 7 day journey from there the official family summits don't start until the first of spring though.” She looked at him “why is it going to take so long to get there?” “because we are gonna get a tow from the skeleton key and she's bigger and slower.” “Why a tow?” he smiled and said “it's because Ryvr said in case we want to part ways after Riviera we have our own ship.” She looked up at the stars “my arm will still be in the cast though i dont think ill be able to do anything.” He said back, “I'm sure you can find something to do; we all will.” She looked up and raised her arm in the cast to the sky, “since i got the cast, you think your mom will sign it?” he laughed, “Yes i'm sure she would, she says she doesn't like being recognized as her bounty hunter persona but i think she secretly does.”
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“Do you like gambling?” He turned to look at her. She thought for a moment, “Sometimes, but life is a gamble as a bounty hunter, like an ever-spinning roulette wheel, sometimes you win big, other times you get shafted by landing on green.” She let out a sad exhale. Rosario turned to her, “Are you ok about that whole thing?” She looked over to him, “I don't know if I made the right decision with Paulida.” he was quiet for a moment and said, “I don't know if there is a right choice, it's a complicated situation, but I trust your judgement.” “thanks”
Carmilla walked into Kian’s room as he was mixing powders into glass vials and sealing them. “What are you doing?” He spun in the swivel chair. “New smoke bombs I've been fiddling with the recipe ever since Serinissima, it's only right for a shinobi such as myself to have the right tool for the job.” “Are you going to fly the ship, or are we just going to ride with the skeleton key to Riviera?” he looked at her nervously. “Do we have to go to Riviera? I think we shouldn't, I hear it's dangerous this time of year.” Carmiall said, “It's non-negotiable. Do you want to fly or should we have the skeleton key give us a tow?” Kian frowned. “I'd really rather not, but if we have to go let's have the skeleton key tow us, and we can just hitch a ride on her. She's quite a bit bigger than ours, so the ride will be smoother but slower.” Carmilla looked at him curiously. “why don't you wanna go to Riviera? I thought it would be your cup of tea.” He frowned, looking nervous, “i dont wanna talk about it right now.”