Empires of Ashes

Erich: Because it's not my place to judge your clan.

"....doesn't stop anyone else"

Erich: Because the other clans don't know what it actually means to be in sorry state. They don't know what it means to be humble and be thankful for what they've got.

its clear she doesnt know how to respond

Erich: Is something wrong?

"I....dont know"

Erich: Why's that?

she looks at him for a moment, then looks away

*He just sighs and goes back to looking at the fire.*

"....thankyou"

Erich: Erm...You're welcome?

he notices she's ....crying a little bit

Erich: Are you okay?

she quickly wipes her eyes
"y-yea"

Erich: It-it doesn't look like it.

"I'm fine...really"

Erich: Look, is something wrong?

"You...are the first person othere than kenshin or the saratobi to not judge my clan for their failures and shame"

Erich: Oh...well, if it helps, the Brigardi don't judge people for their hardships, unless they are the only ones to blame for it. And given what little I have seen of your lands...I doubt your clan deserves to be looked down upon.

"*sighs*we could have been the shogunate"

Erich: And what then? You'd just have everyone else plotting against you, given how.....unshackled your lords are.

"none dare fight the shogun"

Erich: Not when he's strong, anyway.

"the only reason we aren't, is because of one duel"

Erich: Ah..Duels....

"Our clan leader was drago nobunaga's ally. his friend. his equal. the duel was to decide who would become shogun. Now he is our national hero, and my ancestor is all but forgotten"

Erich: And that's what dueling gets you...Better to smash the enemy when he's least expecting it.

"that is not our way"

Erich: I know....

she sighs again
"We were great once...now just a footnote"

Erich: Then there's no point in sitting about being a footnote. Take matters into your own hands.

"how?! few like us, fewer still trust us! we havent the strength to even defend ourselves without the saratobi!"

Erich: I...I don't know then.

she sighs
"sorry. I lost my temper"

Erich: No need to apologize, I understand.

"I...My clan and kenshin are all I have"

Erich: And what if that were to change?

"how?"

*He glances around nervously, making sure no else is listening.*

Erich: B-because we're not just simply an expedition....

"what?"

Erich *switching to a hushed tone*: L-look...you can't tell anyone this b-but....*Sighs* Fuck it, yes, we're supposed to be observing the state of the world so we can report back to the Kaiser...So that he knows what lands are safest when the time for the exodus comes....

she's listening

Erich: Unless we...we leave the lands we've called home for so long, our people won't survive the coming winter....And the Thengul won't give back the land that's rightfully ours, not without a fight, damn vultures. And even then...so many of the northern most Thengul lands...those will likely not be inhabitable either...

"I..okay"

Erich: Which...*sighs* The option open to us is..war, war with whoever gets in our way....

she is still listening

Erich: The...the Kaiser said the winter that is to come is the worst in thousands of years....he thinks the entirety of the north will freeze and be buried in snow and ice....Even our kin in the Black Mountains will have to flee their ancestral homes, and they laugh at the winters those of us in the forests endure....

"I....wow"

Erich: Yes...and so...he told us what Brigard's future path is...and it's a bloody one...perhaps the bloodiest we've seen in a long time...

she nods

Erich: I-I mean, when he told us what our mission was...he admitted there was the chance he was wrong, horribly wrong, but...but he didn't seem to believe that, even as he said it...