Act 3: The Ball - En route to Emerald

Steve laughs, "Yes, I got that.

"Something Femke said still bothers me, though. The Duchess... why bother? She doesn't rule Emerald, there's no reason they can't just let her swim. Not enough to risk one of their high level agents, anyway. They tolerated Duma long enough."

"There is animosity between King Tibur and Lady Venator," Femke explains. "They disagree on how to deal with other nations, and what their priorities should be. To summarize, King Tibur believes Emerald should cooperate with its neighbors, while Lady Venator advocates for the supremacy of the nation over all others."

"...I think I prefer the King," Fluffle says.

"Yes, me too," Segel adds with a nod.

"Assuming it's the Enemy speaking through her..." - he searches for the right words - "If we manage to break their hold, she may suddenly come to her senses. Nick and Smirk flew into a rage when they realized what they'd been forced to do, but that was an extreme case. It's possible they influenced her subtly enough that it'll all feel like her own thoughts when she wakes up from it. If we even manage to get that far."

"Or she really does believe that and she's as big a problem as anything we are dealing with," says Steve, shaking his head a little bit, "I don't think we can worry about it. At the end of the day murder is wrong. Even if she is an enemy agent, willing or unwilling. If that is their plan and we can stop it, we should."

"We may get to find out if you two get close to her and do that thing you do." - he says, looking at Steve and Konrad - "If she has to maintain a fake ideology 24/7, it's a good bet the Enemy's always watching."

Konrad stays silent about the murder point. "Whatever the case, our enemies are not the leaders themselves."

Then, he looks to Segel. "Sorry, Segel. You must be confused. There's much more that you deserve to know."

"Oh, it's quite alright, Captain," Segel says, smiling. "I'm sure you'll all explain all the deets to me later. But I think I got the gist of it."

Disarmed by his First Mate's cheery adaptable attitude, Konrad smiles back. "That's good, because we're getting to it now. Do yourself a favor and brace for it, because you probably won't like what you're about to hear."

"Uh?" Segel blinks and stares at the other party members, puzzled by whatever Konrad could mean.

"Ugh, way to scare him." - Mihai grumbles - "Segel, Fairies are the result of a fusion between a Human and an Elemental. They were first born two hundred years ago, as part of a plan by the Elementals..." - Mihai checks himself - "The Enemy, to enslave Humanity. Except Fairies were born with free will, and when the Enemy realized they had no use for them, they tried to get rid of them. Thanks to some timely intervention by the Empire they managed to escape to Medial, and so the Enemy went back to their slow going plan - tearing us apart from the inside by using the Green Mages that they can control whenever they want."

He pauses to let that sink in.

"The Orbs fairies can make are the key to freeing them, but people like Edward, they don't see that as an option. They find a Human that's been compromised, they put them to the sword. Which is what they're about to do to the Lady Venator. So here we are in the middle, with few means and fewer options. We used our last Orb to save someone back in Myr, so we're having to improvise as we go along."

The more Mihai talks, the more Segel's mouth falls open and his eyes widen. It's clear that this is a lot for him to take in, and when Mihai finishes his explanation, his gaze wanders to the other people in the room to check whether or not they're pulling a prank on him. When he realizes they're not, he swallows his saliva and looks back at Mihai.

"So, um... I'm not sure what to say right now..."

Mihai nods understandingly - "Yeah. Sorry to dump it on you like that. I know it can't be easy to take in."

"You don't need to say anything, Segel. It doesn't change who you are or how we feel about you, but it's something you deserve to know." says Steve, adding quietly, "It's not fair but it's something you all deserve to know."

Konrad just nods. "Take as long as you need."

"Uh, yes. Thank you Captain." Segel falls silent and looks down at the table, his mind wrestling with the repercussions these revelations will undoubtedly bring to the lives of his siblings. Fluffle doesn't hesitate and flies to the first mate's side to comfort him, which does manage to get a smile from him.

"Thank you," he says to everyone. "I think I now understand why you didn't talk about this before. It's... a lot to take in." Then after a short pause. "I'm not sure how I'll tell the others about it either..."

"I believe you'll have to tell them eventually. But you know them better than I do. I trust that you'll know when it's the right time."

"Segel, i know this isn't the best time to say this, but i have to." - Mihai affirms apologetically.

"For two hundred years, this has been one of the most tightly locked secrets in the whole Archipelago. A select few people only passed it on after getting a vow to dedicate their lives to defending a cause they didn't even know yet. We're not under any such oath, and won't ask one of you - hell, you didn't even ask to know this anyway. But you still understand what would happen if this information got out in the open. The Enemy's got a presence everywhere. Only reason they haven't started waging open war is probably because they still think they've got the element of surprise. If that were to go away, well... you can imagine."

Segel considers very carefully what Mihai just told him. Amber shifts uncomfortably in her chair while she waits for him to speak again, while Femke studies the fairy with an attentive eye, an impassive expression on her face.

"So," Segel begins, "it'd be a lot safer for my brothers and sisters if they didn't know anything?"

Steve says, "Only you can answer that Segel because they are your family. It's a big burden. We'll support whatever decision you make." He looks around at the others for their support.

"Can I give you some advice?" Konrad fiddles with the cigar, reflexively fumbling for a lighter he doesn't currently have on him. "You're not safer, or in any more danger. If you don't know who your enemies are, then they can trick you. If you do know who they are, you can defend yourself against them, but that means you'll probably become involved in the greater conflict. I think it's better to be armed with the knowledge you need to protect yourself, than not to be."

Segel turns to Mihai to see if he has anything to add.

"On the other hand, i wish i didn't know who it was we were ferrying right now. Be a lot easier to be around him without letting him know what i think of him. So yes and no, sometimes you are safer not knowing certain things."

He pauses a moment.

"That being said, i don't think you'll be wrong in whatever you decide. I know it's not fair, but the fact that it's weighing on you right now is why i trust you'll do what's right. And for what it's worth, we'll do our best that that part of our fight won't reach this ship."

The first mate nods to Mihai and then turns to face the others. "Thank you everyone for your advice. I won't say anything to my family for now, but I'll think hard about would be best for them—and you can count on us to help rescue your friends. I'm not really sure I understand everything that's happening, but I know that this Edward guy needs to be stopped."

Amber and Fluffle smile at that, reassured to hear that they have another ally they can rely on.

"Thank you, Segel. And if anything happens, we'll do our best to keep your family safe. You're welcome to sit in on these meetings whenever you like."