Daybreak:Volume 3 Chapter 12 - Revision history

Aorii at 00:59, 13 March 2022

2022-03-13T00:59:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:59, 13 March 2022
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	"Then how did Samarans come to dominate the politics of a whole country?" Kaede asked, puzzled.		"Then how did Samarans come to dominate the politics of a whole country?" Kaede asked, puzzled.

	"We don't." Marko responded. "A name can be misleading. ~~The~~ Grand Republic is ~~named after us~~ because of the unique role Samarans play, not because we dominate its political, economic, or cultural elite. In fact, it would be accurate to say that most Samarans lack the interest to stay in positions of power."		"We don't." Marko responded. "A name can be misleading, especially in its shorthand form. My country's full name is the 'Grand Federated Republic of Samara and All the Polisias'. The word Samara is given importance because of the unique role Samarans play, not because we dominate its political, economic, or cultural elite. In fact, it would be accurate to say that most Samarans lack the interest to stay in positions of power."

	This elicited some raised eyebrows from Pascal, who then turned to Kaede with a knowing look as though commenting 'just like you'.		This elicited some raised eyebrows from Pascal, who then turned to Kaede with a knowing look as though commenting 'just like you'.
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	"Pascal told me that the armor he acquired for you proved insufficient during the Battle of Nordkreuz. However, since Nordkreuz' crafting facilities were destroyed, I messaged Vivi to place an order in Roazhon before we left Nordkreuz. The armor is brigandine, with plated steel slotted inside the velvet cover. It also has the standard reactive enchantment, as magic will reinforce and harden it at the point of impact."		"Pascal told me that the armor he acquired for you proved insufficient during the Battle of Nordkreuz. However, since Nordkreuz' crafting facilities were destroyed, I messaged Vivi to place an order in Roazhon before we left Nordkreuz. The armor is brigandine, with plated steel slotted inside the velvet cover. It also has the standard reactive enchantment, as magic will reinforce and harden it at the point of impact."

	"You wear it over your gambeson," Pascal then added. "Not that I'm encouraging you to enter close-quarters combat. However if you do, this offers far ~~more~~ protection than just a ~~chest guard~~."		"You wear it over your gambeson," Pascal then added. "Not that I'm encouraging you to enter close-quarters combat. However if you do, this offers far better protection than just a chestplate."

	"It was a gift. But please, consider it part of my apology," Sylviane finished in a remorseful voice.		"It was a gift. But please, consider it part of my apology," Sylviane finished in a remorseful voice.

Aorii at 21:06, 28 January 2022

2022-01-28T21:06:55Z

Aorii at 14:33, 29 October 2021

2021-10-29T14:33:46Z

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Aorii at 15:08, 16 October 2021

2021-10-16T15:08:42Z

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Aorii: REDUX STARTS, FULL CLEAR

2021-10-16T15:08:37Z

REDUX STARTS, FULL CLEAR

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Aorii: REDUX STARTS, FULL CLEAR

2021-10-16T15:08:28Z

REDUX STARTS, FULL CLEAR

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:08, 16 October 2021
(No difference)

Aorii at 14:47, 14 April 2017

2017-04-14T14:47:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:47, 14 April 2017
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	It brought him a second glare, which made him smile as though he found it cute.		It brought him a second glare, which made him smile as though he found it cute.

	Kaede found the idea that she actually ''died'' upsetting. ''His'' last memory was that of ~~falling asleep~~ on an living room couch. Did the home burn down? Did carbon monoxide leak?		Kaede found the idea that she actually ''died'' upsetting. ''His'' last memory was that of laying on an living room couch. Did the home burn down? Did carbon monoxide leak?

	''What happened to the rest of my family?''		''What happened to the rest of my family?''

Aorii at 14:13, 6 April 2017

2017-04-06T14:13:17Z

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Aorii at 22:46, 5 August 2016

2016-08-05T22:46:32Z

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Aorii: Created page with "===Chapter 12 - Never Leave Regrets=== Kaede stood atop a riverfront redoubt as she surveyed the wooded hills across the water. The soldiers were on high alert. The defender..."

2016-07-28T18:23:34Z

Created page with "===Chapter 12 - Never Leave Regrets=== Kaede stood atop a riverfront redoubt as she surveyed the wooded hills across the water. The soldiers were on high alert. The defender..."

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← Older revision		Revision as of 21:06, 28 January 2022
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	Chevron-shaped earthen ramparts filled the space between towers, which combined with wide ditches to funnel attackers into bottlenecks. A combination of mud and raised wooden spears filled the ditches, making the task of crossing them to climb the ramparts virtually impossible. The chevrons were also staggered in such a way that those within the ditches were vulnerable to enfilade fire from the neighboring rampart.		Chevron-shaped earthen ramparts filled the space between towers, which combined with wide ditches to funnel attackers into bottlenecks. A combination of mud and raised wooden spears filled the ditches, making the task of crossing them to climb the ramparts virtually impossible. The chevrons were also staggered in such a way that those within the ditches were vulnerable to enfilade fire from the neighboring rampart.

	More ditches, fences, stakes, and other obstacles layered the shores in front of the main defenses, while torsion artillery had been set up behind the line. The fortifications ~~may~~ not ~~have been completed~~ yet, but they were already a formidable line that stretched across the twelve kilopace river crossing.		More ditches, fences, stakes, and other obstacles layered the shores in front of the main defenses, while torsion artillery had been set up behind the line. The fortifications might not be complete yet, but they were already a formidable line that stretched across the twelve kilopace river crossing.

	''Edith motivating the soldiers really has made all the difference,'' Kaede reflected.		''Edith motivating the soldiers really has made all the difference,'' Kaede reflected.
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	''Talk about good timing.''		''Talk about good timing.''

	The Samaran girl had no doubt that their arrival had been planned for maximum morale boost. The exiting soldiers marched around the skywhales to give everyone an eyeful before settling into parade formation. Meanwhile, a group of ~~four~~ individuals gathered from both skywhales before striding together towards the Princess' greeting party.		The Samaran girl had no doubt that their arrival had been planned for maximum morale boost. The exiting soldiers marched around the skywhales to give everyone an eyeful before settling into parade formation. Meanwhile, a group of five individuals gathered from both skywhales before striding together towards the Princess' greeting party.

	"Your Highness!" Their leader called out, less in reverence and more like meeting an old friend.		"Your Highness!" Their leader called out, less in reverence and more like meeting an old friend.
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	Even in this dramatic moment, a few officers couldn't help but chuckle at the King's sense of humor. This included Sylviane as the Princess wiped her eyes, which only made Pascal's jealousy swell.		Even in this dramatic moment, a few officers couldn't help but chuckle at the King's sense of humor. This included Sylviane as the Princess wiped her eyes, which only made Pascal's jealousy swell.

	~~It made~~ Kaede ~~realize~~ it wasn't King Alistair's physique or even his rank that Pascal felt threatened by. Instead, it was the natural ease Alistair seemed to have in making Sylviane smile.		Kaede realized then it wasn't King Alistair's physique or even his rank that Pascal felt threatened by. Instead, it was the natural ease Alistair seemed to have in making Sylviane smile.


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	Yet as he looked down upon the grown-up princess, he once again saw that young, twelve year old girl. She had shown him not the veneer of respect like every other noble, but also true sincerity and kindness. She gave him confidence and faith in his kingship, his ''bastard inheritance'', when everyone else only sought to manipulate and play him like a fiddle to their will.		Yet as he looked down upon the grown-up princess, he once again saw that young, twelve year old girl. She had shown him not the veneer of respect like every other noble, but also true sincerity and kindness. She gave him confidence and faith in his kingship, his ''bastard inheritance'', when everyone else only sought to manipulate and play him like a fiddle to their will.

	It had been odd back then, for an accomplished fifty-year-old adventurer and mercenary to consider an adolescent princess his study partner and pen pal. Yet while Sylviane was emotionally turbulent, as teenagers often were, she also held a combination of cunning and sagacity that inspired him.		It had been odd back then, for an accomplished fifty-year-old adventurer and mercenary to consider an adolescent princess his study partner and pen pal. Yet while Sylviane was emotionally turbulent -- as teenagers often were -- she also held a combination of cunning and sagacity that inspired him.

	"All right, all right," Alistair conceded with raised hands, unable to deny her imploring gaze. However he had to set his foot down: "two days then, three at most. After that? I'm sneaking off even if you won't let me."		"All right, all right," Alistair conceded with raised hands, unable to deny her imploring gaze. However he had to set his foot down: "two days then, three at most. After that? I'm sneaking off even if you won't let me."
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	"Thank you."		"Thank you."

	The Princess then turned towards the tree line and gestured for him to take a stroll with her. Alistair nodded to his ~~battlegroup~~ commander and the ~~civilian captain~~, urging them to stay behind as he followed her with only his bodyguard in tow.		The Princess then turned towards the tree line and gestured for him to take a stroll with her. Alistair nodded to his deputy commander and the two skywhale captains, urging them to stay behind as he followed her with only his bodyguard in tow.

	His hunch proved correct as the Princess conjured a bubble of privacy between them.		His hunch proved correct as the Princess conjured a bubble of privacy between them.
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	"I was summoned by Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz, the Landgrave of Nordkreuz and the fiancé of Her Highness, Crown Princess Sylviane." Kaede nodded back.		"I was summoned by Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz, the Landgrave of Nordkreuz and the fiancé of Her Highness, Crown Princess Sylviane." Kaede nodded back.

	"It's unusual to find a non-mercantile Samaran in these parts, let alone as a familiar," Marko continued as his countenance relaxed in the wake of her smile. "Would you and... ~~your~~ master, like to join me late afternoon for a chat and dinner? King Alistair's soldiers should be finished unloading everything by then."		"It's unusual to find a non-mercantile Samaran in these parts, let alone as a familiar," Marko continued as his countenance relaxed in the wake of her smile. "Would you and your... master, like to join me late afternoon for a chat and dinner? King Alistair's soldiers should be finished unloading everything by then."

	Kaede couldn't help but grin. Ever since she arrived in Hyperion, she had been wondering how ''real'' Samarans lived. The late emperor had offered to arrange a meeting between her and the ambassador. However Kaede had left for Weichsel before that could occur. Now, she has been given another chance.		Kaede couldn't help but grin. Ever since she arrived in Hyperion, she had been wondering how ''real'' Samarans lived. The late emperor had offered to arrange a meeting between her and the ambassador. However Kaede had left for Weichsel before that could occur. Now, she has been given another chance.
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	For a moment, Kaede only stared in perplexity as she puzzled over why. After all, regrets often left some of the strongest memories for people as they aged. Hindsight was 20/20 after all, and people often couldn't help but look back upon their mistakes and wished they had made a different choice.		For a moment, Kaede only stared in perplexity as she puzzled over why. After all, regrets often left some of the strongest memories for people as they aged. Hindsight was 20/20 after all, and people often couldn't help but look back upon their mistakes and wished they had made a different choice.

	"~~The~~ Samaran reincarnation is a path to enlightenment, a cycle of purification." The Captain began to explain further. "There's no 'rulebook' out there for exactly how this works. However, the commonly accepted wisdom says that the more at peace your moral conscience is, the more ''wisdom'' you'll carry onto the next life through your memories. In fact, it is widely believed that only people who died at peace with their entire life, but have yet to accrue enough wisdom to transcend mortality, are reborn as a Samaran..."		"Samaran reincarnation is a path to enlightenment, a cycle of purification." The Captain began to explain further. "There's no 'rulebook' out there for exactly how this works. However, the commonly accepted wisdom says that the more at peace your moral conscience is, the more ''wisdom'' you'll carry onto the next life through your memories. In fact, it is widely believed that only people who died at peace with their entire life, but have yet to accrue enough wisdom to transcend mortality, are reborn as a Samaran..."

	''It's no wonder Trinitian writings claim we're undergoing 'mortal purgatory' when you put it like that,'' Kaede reflected from her reading.		''It's no wonder Trinitian writings claim we're undergoing 'mortal purgatory' when you put it like that,'' Kaede reflected from her reading.
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	Kaede halted as she looked back to Sylviane, who nodded with an encouraging smile once more.		Kaede halted as she looked back to Sylviane, who nodded with an encouraging smile once more.

	"-- Our only chance is for Her Highness to win the hearts and minds of the army. If we can win tomorrow with the Princess at the helm, if we show that Her Highness' valor and integrity are every bit the match for Edith, then we can restore the troops' confidence and the plot will falter on its own."		"--Our only chance is for Her Highness to win the hearts and minds of the army. If we can win tomorrow with the Princess at the helm, if we show that Her Highness' valor and integrity are every bit the match for Edith, then we can restore the troops' confidence and the plot will falter on its own."

	"It's the only way to avoid a lose-lose situation," Kaede concluded, feeling her skin crawl as her thoughts summoned the Munich Conference and how Hitler's diplomatic victory shattered the Oster Conspiracy.		"It's the only way to avoid a lose-lose situation," Kaede concluded, feeling her skin crawl as her thoughts summoned the Munich Conference and how Hitler's diplomatic victory shattered the Oster Conspiracy.
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	"That was lenient of you," Vivienne spoke after the others left. Her eyes remained closed as she received the ~~princess~~ snuggle treatment.		"That was lenient of you," Vivienne spoke after the others left. Her eyes remained closed as she received the royal snuggle treatment.

	"If she could forgive me for being bipolar and... wronging her," Sylviane spoke. "Then the least I could do is to forgive her for being Pascal's familiar and seeking out his comfort when she's beset by night terrors."		"If she could forgive me for being bipolar and... wronging her," Sylviane spoke. "Then the least I could do is to forgive her for being Pascal's familiar and seeking out his comfort when she's beset by night terrors."

	"-- And if she wants more than that one day?"		"--And if she wants more than that one day?"

	For a moment, only silence lingered between the two girls. Then, the Princess took a deep exhale and shrugged.		For a moment, only silence lingered between the two girls. Then, the Princess took a deep exhale and shrugged.