Sins of the Father

In these times of wanting prophecy

And false witnesses up to all manner of deviltry

Samuel always performed his duties with the utmost care and professionalism, often putting aside any personal matters (not that he had many) to ensure that any task which fell into his hands was performed in a manner befitting the house he had been accepted into. He worked tirelessly to earn his keep even with the constant pain and weakness in his leg, the nagging ache that pulled along his muscles every time he took a step.

So why was he anxious?

These meetings were simply routine, something every member of any status in the military had to attend; a look at one's success over the last year. He had been, as far as he knew, performing well in his new role...until the interrogation. The failure to get anything out of Sunjata and Cian could be seen as a failure, if his superiors disagreed with his summation there had not been enough evidence to keep the men in captivity.

Raising his hand to knock on the heavy door, he took a breath first, closed his eyes - no matter what was said, he would not lose his composure. He knocked, waited for the call to come in, and stepped inside. As soon as he had gotten both feet and his cane into the room he bowed his head and as always, spoke: "You asked to see me, Sir."

Drench a kitchen rag in heretics blood

Wash your windows and prepare for the flood

SAMUEL

Base Code by Sky!

Kosbra

”Come in.” The call comes easily, a shuffling of papers heard a few moments after. The knock from Samuel’s hand reverberates in the office space, off of the metal desk and glasses set atop it. As Sam enters, Kosbra doesn’t look up from the file of papers he’s readjusted, reading a few lines until Sam’s words reach him.

A hum of agreement is met with the file of papers being left open, the Head of Bravlet now surveying Samuel in a quiet that keeps his appearance stoic, but also keeps anything from being surmised about his thoughts. A well oiled, defined mask sits atop the man’s face as he gestures for one of his strategic advisors to take a seat. ”I did ask to see you, Samuel. I hear you have had an exciting day.” He watches Sam carefully, letting the pause linger on for perhaps a hint too long before he drops his attention back to the file.

”I hear that you spoke with the Bratena youth and a… Potential accomplice, was it?” Of course, he has the notes written right there that he’s read over, but he mostly wants to hear what Sam has to say about it. So his eyes lift back to the advisor curiously. ”I’d like for you to elaborate further on what happened.” After all, the space for the files weren’t large enough to accommodate any other thoughts that the younger man might have held about the event.

And he wants to be sure they’re on the same page.

In these times of wanting prophecy

And false witnesses up to all manner of deviltry

Were it anyone below him in rank who didn't look up as he entered, Sam would have been offended, but the Bravlet head could demand he crawl in and he would have done it. Standing as upright as he could achieve while still supporting his weight with his cane, Sam could only let a nervous breath of a laugh leave his lips in regards to his 'exciting day'. He was glad to sit, resting the cane against the front of the seat.

"Yes. I..." It was unlike him to struggle for words, but when it came to Sunjata and Cian, he was struggling to organise his own thoughts on the matter. It seemed obvious that something was going on, but they could not arrest someone for being a bit weird. The more he thought of it too, the more he remembered that Shaju's heir had always been full of quirks and problems. "I questioned them about their meeting and discussion. They insist it was merely a social event. Obviously, with the timing, it is...unusual, but I have no evidence to pin them into anything more solid right now, Sir."

A vague thought suddenly becoming a solid plan, he sat up a little taller. "I am intending to visit the cafe they named to ask further questions of the staff there. For the moment, I suspect this may just be another lapse in Mr. Bratena's already questionable judgement...it is not a secret he does not respect his father nor the institution." In wider company, Samuel would never dare to insult the heir to the Bratena throne quite so blatantly, but he knew Kosbra to be a man that did not dance around the truth. They could all see the way Sunjata acted.

Drench a kitchen rag in heretics blood

Wash your windows and prepare for the flood

SAMUEL

Base Code by Sky!

Kosbra

Even Kosbra harbors some surprise at the way Samuel hesitates, evident by the way he places the file down and rests his arms atop it, giving the advisor his full attention. The mask remains in place, trying to figure out why the Bratena youth would imagine that was a good idea when so many people had been wondering if he had simply fled, self exiled, been killed, held for ransom. But that’s what he has Samuel there for, to ask those questions and try to determine whether it did harbor some nefarious means.

Now regardless of whether Samuel had found means to charge him and keep him didn’t matter to the Bravlet Head. After all, he knows Sunjata would be on a fast track home if he wasn’t there already, and knew that whatever Shaju had planned would be sufficient enough of a punishment, perhaps even toeing over the line from what the prison and holdings could do.

”I understand.” Kosbra offers, just in case Sam had been worried about his displeasure at not being able to keep them without proof of anything. ”I’m inclined to agree with your judgement. Look into the café and keep a close eye on Mr. Ross and perhaps we can glean more. In the meantime, do not stress over the Bratena heir. The Arbiter is currently handling that better than we could.” At least, Kosbra hopes it may stick with Sunjata more than having the system he already struggles with punishing him versus family. Because that was what the Plates and the nobles here were focused on the most. Their family.

”You did exactly as I would have done. Without much else in terms of proof, all we can do is watch and wait for it to fall into place.” But then they’d have everything they needed.

In these times of wanting prophecy

And false witnesses up to all manner of deviltry

Confirmation that he had proceded correctly let Samuel release a breath he didn't know he was holding, relief washing over his tightly held heart. In fairness, there really wasn't much else they could do, if they wanted to follow the law (he was not a high enough ranking officer to make decisions about when to break it), but he'd still worried.

"I will find out more about the foreigner, though the files we have didn't indicate anything of particular interest yet. He's new to Kotoll...I believe he was trapped here due to the lockdown." Basically: he didn't intend to be here, and so it would be odd for him to have intricate plans involving Sunjata. Still, Sam would follow orders, because they were orders, though he also had curiosity surrounding the man himself.

Not that he would dare question the Arbiter, but he couldn't help but frown a bit at the comment on Shaju handling Sunjata. "It seems he is causing trouble at every turn. In patrols he is often the last to report - I suspect he's doing something else instead of his rounds. Do you believe it to be a...phase, of sorts, sir?"

Drench a kitchen rag in heretics blood

Wash your windows and prepare for the flood

SAMUEL

Base Code by Sky!

Kosbra

Kosbra watches Samuel with a hint of curiosity – the idea of the lockdown dropping issues they hadn’t foreseen but of which were equally important was something to consider as well. Had it simply been wrong place wrong time, or was there something more nefarious afoot? Only time would be able to tell, and luckily time is what they have for the moment with Sunjata being confined under supervision and within the confines of POINT should anything else go awry.

”Interesting.” Kosbra offers, closing the file before he leans back in his seat, his gaze focusing on Sam as he continues his thought process. ”It was believed that putting him in the Drench would mean that he’d get a more personal view with how the Drenchers treat the Enforcers. We had hoped that it might harden him up. But he hasn’t had to grow up under the same circumstances most of us have which makes it difficult to figure out where this is coming from.” Kosbra offers, not wanting to convey more than he should.

But when it came to one of his most trusted advisors, there is a small twitch of a smile that cracks through his mask. ”Between you and me, once the Arbiter is done with him we’ll have a better understanding of what he’s made out of.” Whether he’d stay and finally fall in line, or if he’d fail. Either way, they would know the answer.

In these times of wanting prophecy

And false witnesses up to all manner of deviltry

Sam nodded, privately unsure if Sunjata had ever seen the interactions between Drenchers and Enforcers the way that his father had wanted him to, but still hopeful in his belief that his superiors knew what they were doing with the rebellious Bratena heir. Having never had to deal with this kind of disobedience in a soldier (laziness, other forms of misconduct, yes, but most enforcers knew the value of the Plates) nor having his own child, he supposed he had no real say on what was best.

A smile did pull at the corner of his lips at the last thing Kosbra said; it was the highest honour, to be included in the more warm, personal moments here. "I hope for his own good, and our cities, that he takes in the lesson."

He wasn't here to gossip though, so with everything now discussed, he stood. "That's all I have to report, Sir. If there's no other matters, I will continue with my duties."

Drench a kitchen rag in heretics blood

Wash your windows and prepare for the flood

SAMUEL

Base Code by Sky!

Kosbra

Samuel’s smile is enough to crack a fraction of Kosbra’s mask, his lip twitching up in an uncharacteristic small smile that so few do get to see. ”As do I.” His voice rumbles out and he folds the papers back into the folder, leaving one on top that he grabs a nearby pen with, taking the cap off in a meticulous way, before he signs off on the bottom of the folder where his approval marks would go.

He’s still listening, though, as he caps the pen and sets it back in the holder, closing up the folder and nodding to Samuel as he stands. ”Do let me know if there are any changes.” He pauses, letting his dark gaze lift to scan his advisor’s face. ”And take this to filing for me, will you?” Seeing as that was everything they needed, well, Kosbra leaves Samuel to his own devices to slip out of his office while Kosbra awaits to hear what Shaju’s update is – though he imagines it won’t come for some time.

(Done!)