Indignation is a Fire Emblem Roleplay. It takes place within the Outrealms as worlds collide and kingdoms wage an endless war. However, amongst the quarrels of men do the horrors of the Outrealm reach in to kill and destroy. Fight alone or join forces with other warriors as we create dramatic tales or wage war!
We are open to roleplayers of all skill levels. If you are interested in joining, check out the discord chat and meet some of our members. Or if you're ready to jump right in, go ahead and join the site!
Cas nodded hesitantly. She hadn't had to protect herself or fight back in a long time, not counting the little scuffle that happened just days prior. It felt like forever ago now. Her yumi was always an option but it wasn't the weapon of choice when fighting in close quarters. She took the weapon slowly and held it. It wasn't too heavy and it would certainly get the job done if need be. It was weird to hold something that had taken a life. The dagger wasn't just a dagger anymore and it was obvious when she held it.
"I hope so too." The dagger was placed back on the table. Cas wiped her hand on her skirts once the weapon was back down. An empty grin tugged at her lips. When was the last time she ever got proper rest? Even when she slept for hours and hours she always woke up tired. Sure it had decreased over the years but that feeling still hung around in the back of her mind. She wouldn't argue though, not today. Neither one of them seemed like in a good place to argue. With the rest of her tea finished, Cas stood up and tidied the table before tucking in the chairs.
"You should get some rest soon too. You can sleep in Isaac, John, and Izzy's old room. It's the door on the right side when you come up. They couldn't sleep unless they were in a pile; it was pretty uncomfortable to be in pile itself but they were still really cute." Cas insisted that the three didn't have to room like that. She was perfectly comfortable with a blanket on the floor, but they claimed to have already been sleeping in the same room since Isaac moved in with them. "Don't stay out too long. Someone might recognize you and try to provoke a fight."
“A pile?” The sleeping arrangements of her previous tenants sounded very uncomfortable. In part, he wondered if they were secretly part of a beast tribe too. His time with beasts had shown they often liked to huddle together, in part for warmth and for protection, as they slept. “That sounds almost comical.” He hadn't been expecting her to offer him a room to stay in. In part, Raziel had been going out to find a place to sleep in the woods. “I appreciate your offer,” he spoke with a warm and gentle voice. “I will be back shortly.” All he needed was some air.
The man was cautious when he exited the home. He looked both ways for any sign of that woman or any civilians. The commotion on the street had seemed to die down since Raziel had been found. Only a few voice could be heard as he crossed the town, no doubt speaking of the two murders that had happened in the single night. All it was was gossip.
Outside of the city was quiet. The night sky glistened above him. He was at peace for the first time since arriving. A light wind blew at his hair and Raziel closed his eyes. With silent prayers he spoke to the maker. He asked for a guided path, and a safe path for Cas. The dragon's hand went to his shoulder and touched the wound. If this was all he got out of this, he would be lucky. The man stayed out there for a little longer before he returned home to Cas. In the silence of the night, he bandaged his shoulder once again then slipped upstairs to the bedroom she spoke of. He didn't use much, still cautious to make a mess on the bed, he simply leaned up against the bed frame before he fell into a very light sleep.
"It was very comical." The smile was faint and she gave a slight wave before she went to her room. "It's no problem. Be safe out there."
Once he had left and her room door was closed, Cas let out a heavy sigh. Her eyes felt heavy, her body felt even heavier. Her check still stung but that was nothing a little aloe couldn't fix. The black dagger in the drawer weighed in the back of her head. Should she just leave it there? Would she even need it? She prayed that she wouldn't, and that her decision to leave it in the drawer wouldn't end up biting her in the neck. The aloe plant in her room was small and the leafs were short. The insides of the leaf were slippy and left her fingers sticky, but brought the lash coolness once placed. It's residue was wiped on her clothing, and Cas thought it would be best to change into something cleaner but if she were speaking honestly, she really just wanted to get to bed.
But she couldn't. No matter how she moved she couldn't find a comfortable spot. This was suppose to be normal, but it felt so different. As much as she wanted to be confident and determined for these next three days, a tiny voice asked her if it was really worth it. Would they really be able to get the evidence and the killer? The murderer was probably well out of Izumo by now. If they were smart. Maybe, she thought, I'll be more resolute in the morning. A part of her didn't want the morning to come. She was scared of what was in store for her and Raziel in these next three days. Mostly for the latter. If anyone recognized him, what would happen then?
Thoughts like these and scenarios played in her head until she drifted off to sleep. Dawn of the first day ticked closer and closer, and even in her sleep Cas felt the fear begin to bubble. She would allow it for tonight because once the morning came, she would have to pretend that she wasn't drowning in anxiety. The sleep was tense and she would end up waking only a short few hours later, no more ready to start their investigation than the night before. Still, beneath the fear was hope. It was small, but it was enough for her.
The night hadn't been restful. Sleep was sparse as the man's thoughts kept him wide awake through most of the night. In the chance that the dragon was able to nod off to sleep, it had only lasted a few moments at a time. He kept glancing through the window, to the light of the moon, and watching it as it fell low to the horizon in the early morning hours. In the faint glow of the morning's dawn he had risen from his resting place and moved about the house to collect a few needed items. He had redressed the wound upon his shoulder which had already begun to show signs of quickly mending itself together. Cas' cream had only expedited his body's natural quick healing process. The dressings did well to cover it.
He grabbed only what he needed to from the home. A few personal belongings had already been in his pack. A few strips of smoked meat for the day and a bit of bread and cheese. Water was slung across his back in a small waterskin. Nothing would give them reason to stop for more than a few moments.
All that had been left was his companion. He stood before her door and rapped lightly upon the wooden frame with his knuckle. They couldn't waste a moment of daylight. The faster this got done, the more at ease he would be. “Miss Cas,” he called. His voice was calm as he spoke to her in a light tone. “It's time we get moving. I suggest eating a light meal for yourself to start the day. I've packed what we might need. I hope you don't mind,” he placed a second travel pack beside the door for her. “You should grab what you need, though I suggest the best option is to travel as lightly as you can.”
Cas laid in bed, dressed and half awake, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't remember if the sun was out when she began doing this but it was showing now, despite how faint it was. The thought of lying about feeling ill was tempting but this wasn't like the lessons she would try to skip out on when she was younger. Pulling a childish trick like that now would actually make her sick, so she peeled the dried aloe off her face and stood. The door creaked open slowly and Cas' head popped out to look at the man. He didn't look any better than she felt, though she hadn't expected him to be all fire and determination either. She hadn't planned to pack anything if she was being honest. What would there be to pack if she was only going to talk to the victim's family? Maybe she could take something to help the family with the loss. A finger was hooked around the pack's opening and she stepped out.
"Not in the slightest. Thank you." She placed the pack on the counter and began to riffle through various herbal bunches, packing away the plants she needed. A poultice and elixir had found a place among the other herbs because one could never be too sure, right? "I would rather not eat right now. Maybe later. You should eat though. You'll need your strength."Food wasn't something she wanted to force down and hold. She would rather not eat than have it come up only moments later. Once the pots were placed back onto the shelf, she closed the pack.
The weapon on the table looked out of place. Cas almost didn't want to touch it; as if she had that choice. The knife was secured in her sash which, she admits, isn't the best place to put it. In her defense, there hadn't been many options to put it where it was easily accessible. The other dagger in the drawer had weighed in her mind also. It would be best to leave it there, and with careful steps she made sure all the plants had enough water and light before waiting by the door for Raziel.
That was a feeling he could understand well. The foresight in it had been what caused the man to pack a meal for her. “I thought that much,” he admitted. “There is some dried meat in the bag if you get hungry. I do recommend that you don't do all of this on an empty stomach. It will help to focus your mind.” With hope, her stomach would soon settle. He felt a pit in his own stomach that had been created from more than his lingering hunger. Hopefully, the clues would all fall into place with ease.
The man approached the door shortly after she had. Despite it being the crack of dawn, people were already hustling through the streets as they traveled their morning routes from home to work. Even with the murder last night, the town was lively as though nothing had happened. “Pay attention to everything you can. Clues can come from unexpected places. We'll reconvene at noon.” With that the man slipped away towards the area the second crime.
"Yes mom." The words were meant to come out in good-humor, but they had fallen flat. Goodness she was really out of it. Cas didn't say anything else after that. She had no doubt that eating would do her good, both in mind and in body, but she didn't want to. It wasn't that her stomach was weak at the moment, she just had no desire to eat. Still, Cas gave her thanks.
It was almost strange to see the townspeople so lively. She had thought that the murders would dampen them, but people still continued on. Business as usual, except for the dead and their families. My, how depressing. Though the town being back to business could make it easier to spot out a suspicious character; someone who would look too pleased with themselves. That would be easy to spot out, right? That is, if the killer even stayed in town.
"Right. Best of luck. Stay safe!" Cas called before going to find the first victim's family.
With a quick glance he turned to the woman and watch her retreat down the road. The dragon had his unspoken hesitations. After a shake of his head and a quick glance to the place she called home, he walked through the city. He scanned the faces of the people who had passed him by. Many had turned to look at him. A person with his size couldn't exactly blend in. A few gave hushed whispers and confused looks. Wasn't this the man from last night? The guards had said they caught the criminal. Raziel could only flash them a friendly smile as he passed.
Occasionally he would stop and listen to the whispers of those around him. He was looking for gossip, news on the murders that had happened last night. The woman in the town square were full of information. They knew who the victims were. Margaret and Benjamin. The man had been courting the woman. They were to get married at the end of the month. Margaret must have been the woman he encountered last night. That meant Benjamin was who he was looking for. Or rather, Benjamin's family.
There was still blood on the streets from the incident from the night prior. The villagers stepped around it with caution. A woman tried to scrub away at the mess. She looked up at the man as he approached. The tears were apparent in her eyes. Raziel looked at them with a soft expression. He touched their shoulder's gently. “I'm sorry for your loss,” he said with a delicate tone.
The blonde woman looked at him confused. He was a stranger. An outsider. “You shouldn't have to do this,” he told her. It was cruel to have to clean the blood of your own family member. Brother, cousin, Raziel couldn't exactly pin the relationship of the pair. But the man's soft voice had brought tears to the woman's eyes. She wiped her cheek with the dirty sleeve of her shirt. He lifted her head by her chin and looked her in the eyes. “I'll hunt down whoever did this.”
“Thank you.” The woman said. The man's words sounded like the most beautiful thing in the world to her. There would be justice on her brother's death.
He touched the brush in the woman's hands and scrubbed at the street in her place. She was dumbfounded for a moment. Her legs weak and body exhausted from the long night. She had lost both a friend and a brother. She wept in the streets, yet nobody cared. The man cleaned the blood, but everyone passed by like this happened every day. Raziel had cleaned a little more before he helped the woman to her feet. She showed him his home and he entered it. The dead body of her brother lay upon the bed in another room. Covered with a sheet until they could bury him later on. A few other members of the family stood around.
“Who are you?” a man asked with a gruff voice.
The dragon gave a polite bow towards the elder. “I've been sent to investigate the murders of last night. I apologize if this is a bad time. I would like to see justice brought to the murderer as soon as I can.”
The old man's eyes narrowed. The girl whom he had been with earlier had left the room. She wasn't ready. Poor Benjamin. Dear Margaret. Both gone in one night.
“Somebody actually came?” The voice was in disbelief. He looked at the newcomer and sized him up. The man was skeptical and he had every reason to be. The man stood up and pointed towards the door. His voice was loud. “Get out!” he shouted. Raziel backed away from the man. He wasn't going to argue. His hands were raised to show he was unarmed. “Get out!” The man shouted again.
“What daddy why?” the girl asked with confusion. She returned to the room when her father began shouting.
It was concerning to Cas at the beginning that the town was still so lively, how everyone seemed almost unaffected by the murders. Now she's almost glad for it. Business moved on as usual but talk was spreading throughout the people. First they came in hushed whispers, but it had grown like wildfire by the time she made it to the center of town. While there were different versions of the same story within circulation there was one thing that remained a constant; the names. Margaret and Benjamin.
One person said that they were to being forced to marry despite hating one another, so they had hired assassins to kill the other. Another said that they were hopelessly in love but were killed by a jealous ex-lover. Different forms, some more ridiculous than the others. As much as Cas wanted to cross out some of the more outlandish rumors, she couldn't help to think 'what if?'. The bundle of nerves in her stomach tightened when she realized she had heard nothing about the victim's family. Weren't they just as important as the victims? She stood in the town square and frowned, arms crossed over her chest. If she wanted to know about their whereabouts, she would have to ask. Ah, there was the nausea.
Surely Margaret's family couldn't be too far? She could just walk around until she found the home. Yeah, and how long was that going to take? How much extra running time would that give the killer? Her frown deepened. There was no way around it. At least the women she planned to ask looked kind. Or kind enough. They were the ones with the most information, or the most sensible information.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where I might find the family of the deceased woman?"
The women looked Cas up and down with something she couldn't read in their eyes. Did they not recognize her? Honestly, one of these ladies had come in for a remedy not too long ago. She fidgeted under their sharp eyes while she waited for an answer. "Why do you want to know?"
"I- um- want to provide them with assistance. Teas, remedies, to help prevent nightmares. To help them, and the deceased, feel peace." Cas shifted from foot to foot, nervously picking at the skin around her nails. "Losing someone so close is terrible. I want to help with the healing."
It wasn't a complete lie, yet she still felt guilty. Losing someone was hard enough, but to lose someone because someone else had taken their life? There was no healing for that. There was acceptance, but never a complete healing. The least Cas could do was help them reach that point by figuring out who committed the crime. Also with a little herbal help if possible, and it was possible.
It was only a minute or two until the women answered but to Cas it felt like more. Time dragged on like bitter honey, making them feel like hours instead of simple seconds. One of the women pointed to a street to her left. "Down that street. Third or fourth house." The tight ball in her stomach loosened and it felt like she was able to breath normally once again.
She bowed her head and gave the women a small smile. "Thank you." She'd have to remember to get them discounts the next time they came around to the shop.
The woman's hands went to her lips in shock. With eyes wide, she looked to the male. Her expression was full of disbelief. The man had spoken so softly. Every movement he made was gentle. Her lip quivered. Margaret had become her best friend. Looking at this man now, there was no way this man killed Margaret.
The man walked backwards with his arms still raised. “You disrespect my family by showing up now!” Her father shouted. He fumbled closer and rose his walking stick at the man. Tears were streaming down the old man's face and he struck out with his cane.
Raziel remained as emotionless as he could outside of the twitch of his eye from the collision on his arm.
“How is a criminal like you still walking the streets?” He shouted. He looked to the daughter expecting her to run out to fetch a guard. But she made no move. Not to the door at least. The old man struck again. “Get out of my home!”
The cane struck Raziel's temple. He understood. Sometimes it was easier to have somebody to blame. There was no evidence to pin Raziel to the crime the night before outside of him being seen with the body. For the family members of this man named Benjamin it gave somebody to hate. It gave a face to the murderer, even if some knew it was false. This man was taking out his anger and sadness upon Raziel. How Raz had wished many times in the past he had someone else in similar situations. These bruises the man gave him now would one day fade away.
“Sir,” Raziel was gentle. He looked into the man's tear-stained grey eyes with his warm golden ones. The man seemed to only know anger. “I'm looking for any information you can give me about Margaret and Benjamin.”
“How dare you speak their names!” The man shouted and brought the cane down again. Or he tried to at the very least. His daughter stood behind him with the cane in her hand. She struggled against her father so he couldn't bring it down. She looked at the man with eyes full of pain. “You need to leave,” she suggested to Raziel. But the dragon didn't miss the light way she nodded it from behind her father.
The dragon said no more and turned to leave. In the light of the morning sun he saw the raw skin of his arm as he examined it. And then followed a small path to the right side of the home where the family's wash bins were located. Raziel sat there and waited.
More time passed than he would have liked, but this was the best lead he had. The woman finally exited the home with a ran and a small bucket of water in her arms. Her movements were cautious. Raziel could tell that she was still a bit uneasy of him. “L-let me,” she stuttered. “Let me help you with that,” she pointed at the man's arm.
“I appreciate your help,” he spoke softly.
“My father shouldn't have done that to you. I- I know he's sad and..” she looked at the supposed criminal. “You didn't really kill her did you?”
“No.”
The woman's gaze grew more gentle. From the moment she met this man, she knew he was a kind man. His body was intimidating, but the attitude he carried was that of a gentle giant. “Margaret and Benjamin were childhood sweethearts,” she told the man. “They were the best of friends. She'd often sneak out at night and the two of them would go who knows where. She told me they would share stories by campfires and eat sweetrolls. Our family didn't really have much money. I admit, Benjamin was always scheming something. Those sweetrolls they ate by the fires as children, were more than likely stolen. My brother always did have a sticky finger,” the woman laughed but that was replaced by the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She took a few moments of silence where Raziel walked to her and placed his hand gently upon her shoulders. “He joined Izumo's army a few years ago. Every day Margaret would send him a letter and every day she would get one back. He came back a few months ago. They were to get married soon, you know.”
“I know,” he said lightly. “Did your brother make enemies? You said he stole a lot.”
The woman tapped her finger to her chin lightly. “None that I can think of. It was just petty thievery. Sweets. The old woman who ran the cart would often turn a blind eye towards him. Besides, its been years.” As far as she knew at least.
“Did your brother carry a weapon?” Raziel asked. The murder weapon had been left with Cas but Raziel could still picture it. It was pretty hard to forget. “Margaret was killed with a black dagger.”
The woman drew in a breath. “You're not suggesting that Ben killed her! My brother would never!”
Raziel held up his hands trying to calm the woman. “No, no..” he said softly. But the reaction she had told him something had struck a nerve.
“Of course my brother had a weapon. I told you he was part of the guard. Standard issue, he carried around a sword and a dagger. A...” her hands went to her lips. The woman stood up and rushed inside the home. She went through her brother's belongings and came back out with a dagger in hand. It was a weapon that matched the very one that Cas had. They were getting somewhere.
Finding the home wasn’t too hard. Down the street, third house, just like the woman had told her. Cas stood in front of the door as she rehearsed what she had planned to say in her head. Deeming herself ready, she rose her voice to ask if anyone had been home. Almost immediately there was a response; a rough yell to leave. It had caused her to flinch. At least her question was answered. It would seem that talking to the family would, unfortunately, but a little harder to do in comparison to finding the house. Cas shook her hand as if to shake off the nerves and steeled herself before speaking once more. The door was slid open quickly and she was met with an incredibly angry looking man.
"Didn't you hear me the first time?! Go away, we don't need anymore people coming by!" His voice was hoarse and his eyes were rimmed red. She stood frozen in place, the words she had rehearsed over and over again a minute ago were caught in her throat. The lack of reciprocation only seemed to anger him more. "If you're going to just stand like a dead-eyed fool then I suggest you-"
"Aloysius, who are you scaring away now?" The voice that had stopped the man's yelling was weary, borderline exhausted. The man- Aloysius- tensed before turning to look at the older woman who had now stood at the open entrance. He had no time to respond before she looked to Cas. "Please forgive my son. What has brought you here today?”
“I’ve come to offer my services. News about your daughter has reached me and I wanted to help.”
“Unless you caught the person responsible for killing Margaret, you can’t help us!” Aloysius spat out, his voice cracking over the girl’s name.
“Aloysius..” The woman’s voice held an unsaid warning for the younger man. Said man resigned, but his deep frown was still in place. “What services have you to offer?”
“Remedies for sleep, to help prevent nightmares and to help the spirit of the deceased to rest peacefully.”
The woman thought about it for a moment. Cas took this moment to look over the occupants of the home. The man looked older than her. Signs that he had seen his fair share of fights were clear on his face and arms. His glare was aimed at the ground, like it was the floor that had committed the crime. The woman looked like she hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep. Her eyes were more red than the man’s. She had probably been crying whenever Cas had arrived.
The woman released a sigh and invited Cas inside with a tired smile. Aloysius didn’t seem to agree with his mother’s decision as he had stomped off after Cas had removed her shoes.
“Please forgive my son. News of Margaret’s… death hasn’t been kind to him.” The woman led her to the main living space and sat down. Cas nodded in understanding and sat down in front of her, removing her pack and beginning to pull out the proper tools.
“Were the two close?” Cas asked as calmly as she could.
“Oh, as close as two siblings could be.” The woman smiled faintly. “He was always so protective of her. Always so picky of the people she would befriend.”
“It must’ve been challenging when there was a man looking to court her. I’ve heard people talking about how much of a beauty she was.” A small lie, but the mother wouldn’t know.
“Yes… There had been quite a few but there was one man, Benjamin…” The woman looked off, her lip quivering slightly. Cas didn’t speak, her fingers stilling as she waited for the woman to regain her composure. It wasn’t long before that happened. “My apologizes. They played together when they were children. They were to be married soon. I can’t tell you I was surprised. The way they looked at each other was like how my husband and I use to look at each other.” There was that far off smile again.
“Aloysius never quite liked Benjamin. Always thought he was dragging Margaret down. He tried talking to Margaret about finding someone better, but she wouldn’t have any it. He tried talking to Benjamin afterwards. It wasn’t until he joined the army with Benjamin did he begin to lighten up around him. Even then he wasn’t that fond of him.” A memory must’ve hit her then because a short laugh broke out.
“There had been a time when he had come home that he brought one of his army friends. He won’t admit it, but he hoped that Margaret and his friend would take interest in one another. That didn’t happen, of course. Him and his friend were both incredibly disappointed.”
Cas smiled and laughed whenever it was appropriate. She kept her movements fluid as the information seem to spill out. It surprised her just how much this woman was sharing with her, but when something like this happens maybe the one thing a person wants is someone to talk to. (And with a son like Aloysius, she felt like there was no ‘sitting down and talking’.) If that was the case, Cas would happily be the ear that this woman needed.
“Did the friend ever come back to try and woo her?” She asked curiously. The room was beginning to take the scent of rosemary, wood betony, and jasmine.
“A few times, yes. I think he even challenged Benjamin to a fight for her. I’m not sure a fight even happened. Margaret would’ve put a stop to that before it could even begin. She thought duels like that were always so foolish.”
“I agree with her.” Cas allowed a little laugh to slip before she began rummaging her pack for colored cloths. “It’s better to just let the woman decide who she wants to be with.”
“That’s what she would say.” The woman laughed but the light didn’t reach her eyes.
Cas offered a tiny smile before turning her attention to the cloths. Thankfully these bags would be a lot easier to sew together than those for tea. “She sounds like the type of person I would’ve loved to be friends with. I can’t imagine anyone who would’ve thought ill of her.”
The weight of her body could no longer be supported by her legs. She collapsed onto the ground. Raziel hadn't moved to her side fast enough to support her. Her eyes were full of disbelief.
“It's not possible,” she gasped. She shook her head. Her head fell into her hands and the dagger clattered to the floor. It was a sure sign that she did not want to believe whatever thoughts were in her mind right now. The man stayed silent and allowed her to sort out her thoughts. He picked up the dagger and studied it in his hands. Raziel could make his own assumptions on the situation. It was something that he feared from the start.
“It's impossible! Everyone in the guard, they were his friends! It's their job to protect the city. The people in it.” The woman had only known what was just in her life. The world around her followed the laws of the land and she had as well. Corruption wasn't something people took to easily. How often had the people of Izumo turned a blind eye to the world around them. A peaceful nation, from what Raziel had been told. Peace never came that easily.
The captain of this city. With a woman like her, Raziel couldn't be surprised.
“Why would they kill Margaret and my brother? What have they done?” She looked at him now, seeking his solace and his response. The dragon could only shake his head, unsure of the answer that she sought from him. He hadn't known the city for more than a few hours.
Raziel gazed at the dagger in his hands. “Did Benjamin talk about the guard at all?” He asked. “I'm sure he had his fair share of stories about the men and woman he served with.”
"Of course he talked about the others," she responded. "He'd come home after a long day and tell us all sorts of stories." The woman chuckled lightly while a memory began to surface. A tear ran down her cheek at the vivid image of her brother in her mind. She wiped it away with a gentle laugh. "He and Lloyd would always play pranks on Aloysius. I can just imagine his face when he found his armor filled with fish. Bet the poor boy smelled of fish for days." The girl gave a sigh and leaned backwards. Her gaze lifted to the wooden rafters of the roof. "Amelia got on him for that one. Aloysius was her right hand man and she couldn't stand him smelling of cod right beside her."
He took a mental note of those names. Amelia he had the misfortune of meeting already, but Lloyd and especially Aloysius could shed a bit more light on the situation, perhaps. Raziel turned the dagger in his hand so the handle was facing the woman, he offered it back to her. "Your brother sounded like a wonderful man. I would have enjoyed his company."
The woman had taken to crying once more. She nodded her head to the giant in front of her. "Thank you." Her words came out in a broken whisper while she tried to hold herself together. "Thank you. Please, for Margaret and my brother. Let there be justice."
"I will do what I can."
Raziel needed to. It was not him that needed it anymore, but Cas now as well. The day had began. With the names and the estimated locations of the other two individuals, Raziel returned to Cas' home to share the information he had gathered with the woman.
The woman, whom later revealed her name to be Christine, didn’t speak much afterwards. Cas worked in silence under the woman’s steady eyes. Christine would ask questions about what exactly the herbs and flowers were suppose to do and, occasionally, share a memory of Margaret’s childhood; How she and Aloysius would play together when they were younger, Aloysius coming to defend his sister when she would get teased. Some of the memories included Benjamin, like how he would proudly present her with roughly picked flowers when they were children, how Margaret would close herself away to read and respond to Benjamin’s letter, how she would carefully fold them away and store them in a little box by her bed.
“Aloysius would ask why she would never respond to his letters as quickly as she did Benjamin’s. Those two fought so much but they always made up at the end of the day.” Christine shook her head and smiled fondly.
Cas couldn’t imagining having such a relationship with her own siblings. Not that she had any. To be constantly fighting and making up sounded tiring. It was relieving to hear that despite the fighting, the siblings still had a good relationship. She knotted the thread and held the needle between her teeth while she filled the newly sewn bag with jasmine.
Aloysius hadn’t come out his room since he stormed away. Not that she was complaining, answers wouldn’t have come easily from him. Though there was something she did want to try asking him about.. The dagger in her sash seemed to weigh heavier and heavier, as if trying to remind her of it’s presence. Cas fought a laugh. As if she could forget about it. There wasn’t a good way to bring the weapon into the conversation. Plus, word must’ve gotten around about the type of weapon used to kill Margaret. Christine wouldn’t have reacted so well to it being brought up. The woman had placed a small amount of trust in Cas, and she didn’t want to ruin any chances of coming back if more information was needed. There was already one person in the family who refused to cooperate.
The bags were sealed and handed to the older woman with instructions on how to properly use them. Cas left with the promise of coming back another day to refill the bags. Once the door closed she left out a heavy sigh. While she had plenty of new information to share with Raziel, the question of the dagger still remained unanswered. She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes with a quiet whine. Her hands moved upward and began to undo the braid. Her fingers nervously worked the hair of out the plait before re-braiding it again.
Walking back home, Cas prayed that Raziel was more fortunate when it came to the weapon.
Time passed by slowly as Raziel awaited the return of Cas. The man was left to his own thoughts, thinking about the dagger and the stories that had been told to him. He stared at his his hand. Though the dagger had been gone, the weight of it was still in his hand. The feel of metal burnt into his mind. How could a human take the life of another so easily? How could anybody value the life of another so little, that they would go and rid them of it? These were things that Raziel asked himself for his entire existence. He looked at his own hands before he clenched his fist. He had not been so innocent.
He lifted his gaze when his female companion entered her home. Raziel stood and pulled one of the chairs out for her. He gestured for her to sit. There was little time for chitchat and formalities. A mystery had be to be solved.
“I have gathered a few leads,” he told her. “I have reason to believe that our suspect, or suspects are within the guard, though it could easily be a coincidence or a stolen weapon. We shouldn't rule out the later option.” He took a seat on a neighboring chair and rubbed his hand down his face after a sigh. It was difficult dealing with the family of these people. "I managed to speak with Benjamin's family. His father wasn't very welcoming to me. Which I can understand this. But his sister was very helpful. Benjamin was part of the military," he told her. He wondered how much he had to fill this woman with this information. He lifted his eyes and glanced to Cas for that moment. Had she known these people at all? This was her home town after all, yet she hadn't seemed phased by the deaths of these people.
The walk back to her home went faster than she had expected. Of course, her attention hadn't really been on the walk. Her mind had been too preoccupied with the information she had learned. Just looking at what she knew it seemed like the person who was most likely the murderer was Aloysius or his guard friend. Except Benjamin wasn't the only one killed. Aloysius, from what she learned, adored his younger sister. There was no way he could hurt her, let alone kill her, right?
To say that she was surprised to see Raziel already inside was an understatement. Had she really been that far in her head? Once Cas had registered the scene, She laughed nervously and eased the pack in her arms out of the death grip it was currently in. The pack was placed near the door and the dagger was removed from the sash. It was strange how removing the weapon did nothing to remove the feeling of it's presence from where it had sat. Cas eyed the chair then looked at the man briefly with a curious look, taken back a bit by the action.
"Thank you.." Cas sat down and placed the dagger in front of them. She listened and nodded along to the information her partner had gathered. Her eyes didn't leave the dagger. It was a weapon of the military. There would be several people who would be in possession of this specific weapon, but she only knew of two right now that had the means to use it outside of battle.
"Margaret's brother was in the guard with Benjamin. Margaret's mother shared with me that he was very disapproving of his sister’s relationship. He even brought one of his guard friends to try and sway her. There was talk that the friend was going to challenge Benjamin for her, but I don't know if that really happened." Cas rubbed at her blind eye before looking to the man next to her. “Aloysius seemed broken by his sister’s death. Their mother told me how much he doted on her, in youth and in adulthood. There’s a chance Benjamin’s death was caused by Aloysius or his friend, but I don’t think he was the one who killed Margaret.”
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