Yala is stuck at her job, scrubbing the deck of The Copper Maiden as her co-workers argue. The cook, an old geezer of a man, and the other cook, a lady who’s sanity was slipping since the loss of her son, had been fighting all morning. Already having a growing headache on her temples, the woman sighed, and kept on scrubbing the deck. She thought about what happened, the firm shutting down. Miguel, an old man, going to fight demons? Enlistment? That didn’t concern her, she knew Miguel was loyal to the Empire, but joining the army was a whole other ballgame. Why should she join an army that chipped people it didn’t like? Why was Miguel so stupid? It frustrated her to no end that he was launching himself into a war. The other issue - pay. Due to the firm shuttering she wasn't getting any money, sure, the Captain paid her enough but… Zolo! Her head perked up a bit as she remembered. That’s right - brother to Riftan, a baker who couldn’t taste. He had offered her classes and even paid her to come over and learn how to cook. Miguel could go fight the demon army on his own terms, she had cooking lessons to take. On the opposite side of Reaglia, near the Foreign Ministry's building, an elder Yanar was escorted by guards, despite her protests. “What did Gothi do? Did Gothi say the wrong thing?” Silence was the only answer she got, aside from the stonewalling, the only thing she had recalled is a meeting in which Riftan, the Minister, had declared it was ‘heading in a new direction’ and was ‘laying off most of the staff’. She watched as people after people were escorted out of the building, and then started protesting as she herself was escorted. “Gothi has no home!” The elder begged the unforgiving guards, “Please! Whatever Gothi has done, do not remove! Gothi has nowhere to go!” For the first time in her life, Gothi felt something within what could be considered a heart - sadness and fear. Left alone, again, as the guards now stood outside the building, nudging Gothi forward and returning back inside, the doors slamming shut in her face. Gothi looked frozen, as her only home and source of income was now removed. “Please!” The elder begged, slamming her fists against the doors, which caused quite a few heads to turn, but the elder didn’t care who looked. “Please! Gothi explain! Don’t leave Gothi! Gothi doesn’t want to go back!” But there was no answer, none would be given, as the elder slumped against the wall closest to the door, feeling something for, since many years ago, pain. The elders willow hands knotted toward her face, burying them as the Yanar produced what could only be described as a version of crying. “Please…Gothi just wants a home.” Nearby the Yanar, a purple eyed Isldar woman gives the elder a sympathetic “My, you too, my dear?”, the elder looked over at the woman, pausing. “And who are you?” “Baroness Carissime, were you also a part of the Ministry?” The elder gave a nod of reply. “..Come on, let’s talk, before we attract less than friendly guards.” Was the woman's reply, as Gothi shuffled forward toward the woman, as the two walked and talked - of the demons, of the Ministry, and of Riftan himself. Spoiler: TLDR Miguel's law firm business gets shuttered due to the war, Yala is worried on how she'll be able to feed/rent property with only one income source, then remembers @Renajaka 's offer. On the flip side, Gothi gets yeeted from the Foreign Ministry after working there for a whole two weeks, and is upset about the sudden displacement, when @Samantics_ 's offers reassurance. Just a neat story on how the war as effected two of my characters lives!
