Private Tales Unanswered Questions

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity unwillingly awoke as sunlight splashed across her face. She remembered receiving a letter from her father a few days prior asking her to meet with him and a feeling of dread immediately overcame her. Charity knew that she had been the one who had asked him to find time to meet with her, but she worried he wouldn't be too happy about the subject matter. Charity took a bath before getting dressed and descending the stairs to the main room of the Brass Bee.

"Mornin' Marilyn!" Charity said, flashing a bright smile at the middle-aged innkeeper. "Could I get some bread and ale please?" she asked reaching into her pocket and fishing out a few loose coins. Seating herself at the far end of a table in the corner, Charity bit her lip nervously. The room was relatively quiet as it was late in the morning and most people had left to go about their business. Her breakfast soon arrived, but Charity was much too apprehensive to do much more than nibble at it.

The bell on the door chimed as it swung open, and a powerful presence could be felt before Gilgamesh even stepped foot through the door. Charity temporarily forgot her nervousness and her face lit up with joy at seeing her father. "Daddy! Daddy! Over here!" She waved excitedly at Gilgamesh before standing up and pulling out a chair for him. "Thank you for making time to come visit me!" Charity pushed her chair over next to her father and sat down, putting an arm around Gilgamesh and leaning against him. "So how's business been lately?"

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

His carriage drew up to the front of the Brass Bee and the footman jumped down and opened the door of the carriage to allow Gilgamesh Briarthorne to step down to the sidewalk. His brace protested each step as he limped into the establishment aided by his cane.
Inside was cozy, if not a little crude for his tastes, but Charity chose to live this way, she would never be wanting for funds if she'd only ask for it.

"Daddy! Daddy! Over here!"

His eyes gravitated to the source of the voice and he nodded to her as he made his way across the room to join her. He motioned to the bartender, the lady seemed a bit nervous to have such a well dressed and important man in her establishment, "Breakfast for everyone is on me, Marilyn. Just tea for me, mint if you have any." He passed her a small sack of coins and joined Charity while the proprietor gratefully took the bag and went to work.

"Thank you for making time to come visit me!"

"Of course, you have questions now. I don't know how much I can tell you but this is a long anticipated day."
He sat down in the seat Charity offered to him with a squeal of his brace. He hooked his dragon head cane on his chair and folded his gloved hands on the table while Charity draped herself on his arm.

"So how's business been lately?"

He looks down at her hanging on him, "That depends on how you define "Business". The Briarthorne trading company is thriving as ever, we've recently solidified an alliance with the Alanthis Trade and Co. Our profits will go up exponentially before the year is out."

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity noticed with some mild annoyance how her father was looking around the room. Sure, it wasn't as elegant and luxurious as the estate she was raised in or that Gilgamesh was used to, but Charity liked it. It was warm and cozy. She never really liked the fancy life anyway. Always being told to stop running around the house before she broke something. Wasn't her fault that her father had a taste for expensive breakable things!

"Of course, you have questions now. I don't know how much I can tell you but this is a long anticipated day."

The sound of Gilgamesh's voice pulled Charity from her thoughts. "Oh yes! Lots of questions!" she chirped. "I hope they'll be easy to answer. Shouldn't be anything too complicated!" Though Charity didn't like the way Gilgamesh had said that this had been a 'long anticipated day'. He had seemed almost too eager to visit her and answer her questions. Gilgamesh almost never made time in his busy schedule to visit. If Charity wanted to see him, she would always have to wait until he happened to have a free moment. There was something else going on behind the scenes to make him find the time to visit so quickly, and the thought made Charity uneasy.

He looks down at her hanging on him, "That depends on how you define "Business". The Briarthorne trading company is thriving as ever, we've recently solidified an alliance with the Alanthis Trade and Co. Our profits will go up exponentially before the year is out."

That wasn't the business Charity was talking about and she was sure Gilgamesh knew it. Ever since the reunion he hadn't contacted her about any odd jobs that he needed done, and she was beginning to wonder if he found another thief to take her place. Was he worried that something would happen to her? Or had he just found somebody better suited for the job?

Before she could voice her thoughts, Marilyn arrived with a cup and a pot of tea. Charity smiled at her again, and as she left Charity decided to drop the subject. "That's good! At this rate, you'll have business relationships with all the major companies in the city!"

Charity untangled herself from her father and filled his cup as she contemplated the best way to ask her questions. Starting off with the easy ones and working her way to the more difficult ones seemed like the best approach. She took a deep breath and released it in an attempt to relieve her nervousness.

"So Daddy... I know why you chose me, but what I want to know now is how you chose me. Did you know about me beforehand or were you just riding by and happened to see me?" Charity asked, taking a bite of her bread and tipping back in her chair. "And on the way home, who was the pretty lady who let me sit on her lap? Was it Mother or somebody else? I can't remember very clearly, but I could swear she was a human, not an elf."

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Oh yes! Lots of questions!" she chirped. "I hope they'll be easy to answer. Shouldn't be anything too complicated!"

He highly doubted that. But he wanted to encourage her curiosity and open her mind to the life of intrigue, if the answers he could provide would serve to whet that appetite, then he would count that as a success.

"That's good! At this rate, you'll have business relationships with all the major companies in the city!"

He nodded as she filled his cup. "Indeed. There is always room for improvement and that always requires money. This alliance will bring us another step closer to expanding beyond Alliria."

"So Daddy... I know why you chose me, but what I want to know now is how you chose me. Did you know about me beforehand or were you just riding by and happened to see me?" Charity asked, taking a bite of her bread and tipping back in her chair. "And on the way home, who was the pretty lady who let me sit on her lap? Was it Mother or somebody else? I can't remember very clearly, but I could swear she was a human, not an elf."

Ah, so her mind was on her past, she was curious to know about that time when he found her and took her in. He considered his answer for a moment but not for an exhaustive amount of time. After she filled his cup he picked it up and sipped the contents before answering.
"I do not make decisions on a whim, Charity. You already know that. I knew as much as there was worth knowing before I took you off the streets. You were watched for about a week before I decided to step in."
He sipped his tea again.
"As for the woman that was with me that day? One of your sisters that served in another arm of Briarthorne. She has since passed away, but she was originally supposed to be your caretaker. Gwendolyn took on the roll but not because I asked, we were already on nonspeaking terms at that time."

He thought back to that day when he brought Charity to the archive and to Gwendolyn. He knew Gwendolyn wouldn't do it just because he asked, even simple requests put Gwendolyn on full defensive, her mistrust of him would cause her to mistrust the child he left in her care for one reason or another. Her paranoia might have even caused the child harm. Instead he said nothing, simply brought Charity to Gwendolyn and then left.

He loved his lies and secrets... But sometimes even he grew weary of it all, of himself... Sometimes he just wanted to break down and tell someone the whole truth about something, anything! To open up to someone and reveal everything... But that thought always reminded him of why he lied in the first place, and why he's now guarded himself in an impenetrable web of lies and secrets.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"I do not make decisions on a whim, Charity. You already know that. I knew as much as there was worth knowing before I took you off the streets. You were watched for about a week before I decided to step in."

That was true. Of course her father had her watched. She had never known him to make a rash, hasty decision. Everything he did was calculated and planned.

"As for the woman that was with me that day? One of your sisters that served in another arm of Briarthorne. She has since passed away, but she was originally supposed to be your caretaker. Gwendolyn took on the roll but not because I asked, we were already on nonspeaking terms at that time."

"Oh! She was my sister!? What was her name? Was she as nice as I remember her being?" Charity thoughtfully munched on her food imagining what it would been like to be raised by and live with her sister. "So what kind of work did she do for you? What happened to her? And why didn't you ever tell me that I had other sisters besides Jexa?"

Charity thought back fondly on the day she met Gwen. Gilgamesh had told her how she was going to meet a beautiful woman who was going to help take care of her. By the time they had arrived at the archives, Charity had been excitedly bouncing up and down in her seat. She had jumped out of the carriage and rushed into the archives to meet Gwen, chattering nonstop. Charity hadn't noticed her father wasn't around until hours later.

Speaking of Gwen... "Daddy... Why did you try to kill Gwen?" Charity's nervousness returned, hoping that she hadn't asked something that wasn't any her business.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Oh! She was my sister!? What was her name? Was she as nice as I remember her being?" Charity thoughtfully munched on her food imagining what it would been like to be raised by and live with her sister.

"Her name was Greta Briarthorne. She was indeed a gentle sort which was why I had originally selected her for the duty of raising you."

"So what kind of work did she do for you? What happened to her? And why didn't you ever tell me that I had other sisters besides Jexa?"

He set down his cup for a minute, it was good but he wanted to let it cool for now.
"I'm surprised you never figured out for yourself that you have other sisters. If I've adopted Jexa and you, and obviously Angelica, wouldn't it logically follow that I've adopted others? Greta was skilled at kindly persuading people to confide in her and give up important secrets, she worked under a different arm of our trade industry and did well in dealing with competitive businesses."

He folded his hands on his braced knee and started to lean back until Charity's next question struck.

"Daddy... Why did you try to kill Gwen?"

That caused him to freeze for a brief moment. Instead of leaning back in his chair he leaned a bit forward, putting his hands around his tea cup, as if his fingers were suddenly cold and needed to be warmed. He tapped a ring on his pinky finger which Charity would recognize as an enchanted device which would muffle their conversation from listening ears.
"... Why..."
It didn't come out right, almost a croak, as if emotion suddenly choked him.
He took a deep breath and tried again.
"... Why are you asking me this question, Charity?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"Her name was Greta Briarthorne. She was indeed a gentle sort which was why I had originally selected her for the duty of raising you."

"Aww..." Charity said sadly. Greta sounded like a wonderful woman and Charity wished she could have spent more time with her than just the carriage ride.

"I'm surprised you never figured out for yourself that you have other sisters. If I've adopted Jexa and you, and obviously Angelica, wouldn't it logically follow that I've adopted others?

"I suppose it does Daddy..." Charity slumped in her chair feeling like a bit of an idiot for not putting it together sooner.

Her next question caused Gilgamesh to freeze. It was almost as if Charity had hit a nerve. Was stabbing Gwen something he regretted doing? She noticed her father tap an enchanted ring that masked their conversation.

"... Why..."
It didn't come out right, almost a croak, as if emotion suddenly choked him.
He took a deep breath and tried again.
"... Why are you asking me this question, Charity?"

"Why?" Charity asked. "Because after talking to Mother, I'm beginning to wonder if there's things your not telling me!" Charity said sharply, crossing her arms and tipping back in her chair. "So... Why'd you do it? From what she's told me, she's done nothing but serve you faithfully."

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Why?" Charity asked. "Because after talking to Mother, I'm beginning to wonder if there's things your not telling me!" Charity said sharply, crossing her arms and tipping back in her chair. "So... Why'd you do it? From what she's told me, she's done nothing but serve you faithfully."

He blinked and gave her an incredulous look. "Of course there's things I'm not telling you, there are things that I don't tell to anyone and there are even things that I cannot reveal of my own accord or face the consequences. The reason why I had to stab Miss Vollmund is one such secret that I cannot reveal."
Anticipating an interruption at this juncture he raised a preemptive hand for silence as he continued, "I've not even answered this question for Miss Vollmund, so I will not answer it for you, my daughter. However, I've given her a thread of a string, and I've given one to you as well. Tug the string gently, don't lose it, and you will eventually find an answer to your question."

He tapped his ring and his voice became conversational again.
"I've set up many threads, a virtual web... Perhaps it's simply my nature to do so. But if you can find a way to unravel even a portion of it, believe that you won't come away empty handed, Charity."
He picked up his tea cup and took another sip.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity stared at her father in disbelief. Saying of course there were things he wasn't telling her. Things he wouldn't tell her. And something about threads and strings and webs... All of this went right over Charity's head, and she decided not to press the matter.

"But Daddy... I... Fine..." Charity uncrossed her arms and leaned forward on her elbows. Gilgamesh clearly wasn't going to tell her anything. Apparently he had given her some sort of hint, and now it was her job to work it out.

"Ok then Daddy. What do you know about the power that I've recently gained. Where did it come from? And the raw power that comes with it is incredible! I kinda... Want to taste more of it. Do you know where I can learn to use it better? I mean Mother tried to teach me, but she wanted me to control it! I need somebody who can teach me how to harness the raw power!" Charity said excitedly. "Uh... Anyway... Mother refused to tell me the source, though I'm sure she knew."

Charity sipped her ale as she waited for her father's response.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"But Daddy... I... Fine..."

That was that. He knew Charity was smart when she put her mind to things, he just needed her to apply herself more and use her intelligence. He did drop several hints for her, things that could lead to answers even if they only seem to be little nuggets of exclusive information.

"Ok then Daddy. What do you know about the power that I've recently gained. Where did it come from? And the raw power that comes with it is incredible! I kinda... Want to taste more of it. Do you know where I can learn to use it better? I mean Mother tried to teach me, but she wanted me to control it! I need somebody who can teach me how to harness the raw power!" Charity said excitedly. "Uh... Anyway... Mother refused to tell me the source, though I'm sure she knew."

He allowed himself an approving smile, this is what he thought this conversation was going to be about.
"The power you have recently gained? It is an inherited power by virtue of being a Briarthorne." Not entirely true, but not entirely a lie.
"It is raw and very unstable, Miss Vollmund is not wrong in that regard. I am sure you have noticed that it grows steadily over time, and exponentially with use? Thus it is nearly impossible to control with training because with every time you use the power, even in practice, it grows yet again."
The power was another thing Gwendolyn never allowed him to help her with, she uses rituals and such to help leach the power off and give her a small reprieve while she tries to come to grips with the power she's amassed over the years, but it's merely an exercise in futility, because her power simply comes back and twice as strong and uncontrollable as before. She's found ways to cope, and has for years, but she's not yet found nor asked for the solution.

"Think of it like a muscle that does not atrophy. You can shackle it for a time or reduce it down, but it always grows and always progresses forward. I think you may be better gifted for this power than Angelica or even Gwendolyn, it takes a highly versatile and willful person to keep up."
He continued to nurse his tea now, it was at a proper temperature and he sipped it between sentences.
"If you can lean in to the change, if you can accept each new height as it comes without shying away, you can master this power. Otherwise the power will master you. I've used this power since before my empire existed, I can think of no better coach than myself if Gwendolyn has not yet learned to master it."

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

“Or won’t teach her for her own safety. Some lines mud bags will not cross. Even elves have their limits..Master Brairthorne.” Cleo would appear next to him. He had known she was there before she even arrived. He had allowed her to appear.

“I apologize but your instructions were to be informed the moment the accounts were calculated.” She bowed politely presenting him with a scroll from Gwen.

“Mrs.Charity.” She would say with another bow with a wink and a wave her face it’s usual mask of bored, but kind before departing.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"The power you have recently gained? It is an inherited power by virtue of being a Briarthorne."

Was this the "birthright" that Gwen said she had inherited upon being adopted as a Briarthorne? If it was, this was a much better birthright than Charity had imagined.

"It is raw and very unstable, Miss Vollmund is not wrong in that regard. I am sure you have noticed that it grows steadily over time, and exponentially with use? Thus it is nearly impossible to control with training because with every time you use the power, even in practice, it grows yet again."

"Yeah I had noticed that. I can feel it constantly growing within me. And whenever I use the power, it grows to a point where I can just barely control it. So... Mother was right in telling me to control it and not let it run loose then?"

I think you may be better gifted for this power than Angelica or even Gwendolyn, it takes a highly versatile and willful person to keep up."

"What? Really? You think I could get stronger than Angelica?" The idea of beating Angelica and overcoming the humilation she had felt at her sister's hand greatly excited Charity.

Despite what her father said, Charity refused to believe that she could be better suited to the power than Gwen. Her mother was her idol and an all-powerful being in her eyes. So she found it incredibly hard to believe that anybody else could use this power better than Gwen.

Charity beamed when her father said it took a highly versatile and willful to keep up the power. Out of all the words she could think of to describe herself, "versatile" and "willful" fit her to a T.

I've used this power since before my empire existed, I can think of no better coach than myself if Gwendolyn has not yet learned to master it.

"REALLY DADDY!?" Charity jumped out of her chair with joy, and slammed her hands down on the table. "Will you really train me to use my new power?! YES!" She hugged her father tightly in excitement. "When can we start? I wanna get started as soon as we can!"

“Or won’t teach her for her own safety. Some lines mud bags will not cross. Even elves have their limits..Master Brairthorne.”

"Cleo!" Charity exclaimed happily releasing Gilgamesh to hug Cleo. "Guess what! Daddy said that he would train me how to use my powers!" Sudden fear caused the color to drain from her face. "Oh no! Please don't tell Mother that I'm training with Daddy! I don't want her to worry!" Charity sat back in her chair as Cleo departed with a wink.

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Yeah I had noticed that. I can feel it constantly growing within me. And whenever I use the power, it grows to a point where I can just barely control it. So... Mother was right in telling me to control it and not let it run loose then?"

Gilgamesh tilted his head to the side quizzically, "I didn't say that, however I've had this power for so long that it's practically second nature to me, I hardly notice it. But perhaps I should ask, and a question you should ask as well... What do you think is the best way to handle something that defies control?"

"What? Really? You think I could get stronger than Angelica?"

"Of course." He said matter-of-factly. "Angelica has her own flaws, you would do well to access your own resources and learn as much as you can about her, learn her flaws and exploit them.

After he offered to teach her Charity seemed to just about lose her marbles completely, slamming her hands loudly on the table and drawing eyes to them.

"REALLY DADDY!?" Charity jumped out of her chair with joy, and slammed her hands down on the table. "Will you really train me to use my new power?! YES!" She hugged her father tightly in excitement. "When can we start? I wanna get started as soon as we can!"

He looked at her as if she had totally lost her mind as she hugged him, but he let out a longsuffering sigh and endured.
"Of course, you've asked for help, that's all you ever had to do is ask."

“Or won’t teach her for her own safety. Some lines mud bags will not cross. Even elves have their limits... Master Briarthorne.”

He spared the demon a glance when she appeared and Charity extracted herself from him to attach herself to Cleo instead. Gwendolyn and Charity were indeed limited, but of course they didn't understand this power like he did. Sometimes surrender leads to victory.

“I apologize but your instructions were to be informed the moment the accounts were calculated.”

He nodded and accepted the scroll. "Very good. That will be all, Miss Cleo. Report what you will back to Miss Vollmund, though in this situation I would appreciate your discretion if you are capable of it."

As Cleo left he turned his attention back to Charity, placing the scroll inside his coat for now.
"I will need some time to prepare your training. I will send for you when everything is ready."
He drained the last of his tea and set the cup aside.
"Do you have any further questions for me?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

But perhaps I should ask, and a question you should ask as well... What do you think is the best way to handle something that defies control?

"Depends on what the something is," Charity said, grinning wickedly. She had a chaotic streak in her a mile wide, and the idea of an uncontrollable force gave her plenty of ideas. "If its something good, then I would try to bend it to my will even if I couldn't fully control it. But if its something bad, I wouldn't bother trying to control it. I say let it run rampant and wreak havok!"

"Of course." He said matter-of-factly. "Angelica has her own flaws, you would do well to access your own resources and learn as much as you can about her, learn her flaws and exploit them.

"I will find out her weaknesses! She will NOT humiliate me again!" Charity said fiercely, feeling the anger from her previous fight with Angelica causing her power to subtly bubble up. "I refuse to acknowledge that bitch as my sister! And I will destroy her if I ever fight her again!" she growled.

"I will need some time to prepare your training. I will send for you when everything is ready."
He drained the last of his tea and set the cup aside.
"Do you have any further questions for me?"

"Yes! Thank you Daddy! I can't wait! And I do have one more question before you leave... Who is this Amadeus Mother keeps mentioning?"

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Depends on what the something is," Charity said, grinning wickedly. She had a chaotic streak in her a mile wide, and the idea of an uncontrollable force gave her plenty of ideas. "If its something good, then I would try to bend it to my will even if I couldn't fully control it. But if its something bad, I wouldn't bother trying to control it. I say let it run rampant and wreak havoc!"

His eyes scanned her, almost as if she were a stranger. He'd not spent quality time like this with her in a long time, so there was much he no longer knew about her. And he had no idea that this sort of maliciousness lived within her, almost demonic in fact...

"I will find out her weaknesses! She will NOT humiliate me again!" Charity said fiercely, feeling the anger from her previous fight with Angelica causing her power to subtly bubble up. "I refuse to acknowledge that bitch as my sister! And I will destroy her if I ever fight her again!" she growled.

This... Pleased him... Her passion was often the driving force behind her decisions, and she willfully followed her passions from one indulgence to the next... But this was the first time he saw her passion focused on a goal, even if it was rage directed towards revenge. Watching her make such promises actually caused a corner of his mouth to turn up.

"Yes! Thank you Daddy! I can't wait! And I do have one more question before you leave... Who is this Amadeus Mother keeps mentioning?"

Again he had to stop and appraise her, she actually learned that name? She was impressing him more and more in just a few moments. Although the circumstances were a little odd. Normally anyone who learned that name earned the right to become a Greywood. Did it count if Gwendolyn made a mistake and let it slip out?

No... Any means were accepted. If she learned that name, she was ready. She was becoming more interested in the organization, she was growing more powerful and more devoted...
"She told you about Amadeus?"

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

Charity felt uneasy under her father's gaze. Had she said too much? Did Gilgamesh think she was just a destructive monster now?

While it was true that she had a rebellious and chaotic streak in her, until recently it hadn't been a problem. Before discovering her power, Charity did enjoy inciting the occasional barroom brawl, or pestering guards. But now with the voices and shadows... She didn't just enjoy chaos, she was actively seeking it out and reveling in it. It was as if whatever had grown inside of her, had caused her to need chaos and destruction in her life to be satisfied and happy.

"She told you about Amadeus?"

"Umm... No. I wouldn't say she told me about him. More like his name slipped out here and there. Mother did say that he was your boss, but I'm not sure if I believe that... I've known you pretty much my whole life Daddy, and I've never seen you take orders from anyone. You've always been the one bossing people around. Though I suppose you could've received orders from somebody higher up and I just never knew about it..."

"But there's one more thing that makes me less inclined to believe Mother," Charity continued. "Every single time she mentioned his name, we were talking about you. So I'm thinking that it must be one of your aliases, just a super secret one that you don't want anyone knowing about."

Charity studied her father's face for any sort of confirmation, but came up empty-handed. "Umm... Anyway... Thank you for finding a spare moment to spend some time with me and answering my questions!"

She reached over with a loving smile, and gently took Gilgamesh's hand in hers. "I really do appreciate it Daddy. I know that you're a very busy man, but you making room for some father daughter time really means a lot to me!"

 

[Amadeus Greywood]

"Umm... No. I wouldn't say she told me about him. More like his name slipped out here and there. Mother did say that he was your boss, but I'm not sure if I believe that... I've known you pretty much my whole life Daddy, and I've never seen you take orders from anyone. You've always been the one bossing people around. Though I suppose you could've received orders from somebody higher up and I just never knew about it..."

"But there's one more thing that makes me less inclined to believe Mother," Charity continued. "Every single time she mentioned his name, we were talking about you. So I'm thinking that it must be one of your aliases, just a super secret one that you don't want anyone knowing about."

That was surprisingly observant of her, and surprisingly careless of Gwendolyn... Of course, not even Gwendolyn knew the full truth, and what little she did know she gave room to doubt because she knew Gilgamesh and the depths he would go to hide something.
"I am impressed, Charity. You are more observant than either of us gave you credit for, though I am afraid I underestimated your cunning and intelligence. I do apologize for that."
He picked up his cane and rested his hands on the head.
"Even Gwendolyn does not fully understand who Amadeus is, she has suspected what you have concluded for ages. The best way I can describe Amadeus is that he is my sponsor, an investor that helped me grow my failing business into an empire."

Sometimes it scared him that even people he trusted could come so close to knowing the truth, or at least part of it. And with just a guess could almost unravel the entire web... Could he really trust them with his secrets?
Yes, if they have the wit and intelligence to learn his secrets in spite of his efforts, they deserved to know, had the right to know.

"Umm... Anyway... Thank you for finding a spare moment to spend some time with me and answering my questions!"

She reached over with a loving smile, and gently took Gilgamesh's hand in hers. "I really do appreciate it Daddy. I know that you're a very busy man, but you making room for some father daughter time really means a lot to me!"

He gently squeezed her hand, the only outward sign of affection he's shown to her in years, "You make an old man proud. I look forward to taking you under my wing once again."
He stood up from the table with a noisy protest from his leg brace, using his cane to aid him as he crossed the floor, tipping a nod to the innkeeper before returning to his carriage.

His mind was whirling with thoughts and plans. He had to prepare, he had to make sure she was prepared. Not only was he going to train her to use her powers for chaos but she was also to be inducted into the Greywood family and subsequently marked. He would need to contact Gwendolyn and inform her of the new addition.
Greywood will have a new powerful daughter... That alone will put her miles ahead of Angelica.

 

[Gwendolyn Vollmund]

Cleo returned with silent grace as usual. Gwendolyn sat behind her desk bogged down with her logs, charts, journals, and notes.

“Ah Cleo. You delivered the information to...” She halted as she saw the look on her faithful assistant’s face.

“What’s wrong?” She asked. Cleo was always emotionless but Gwen always seemed to know how she was feeling.

“Charity..She..The time is nearing..” Cleo finally said after a moment with struggling to find the words. “I see..” Gwen said with a tired sigh setting down her quill. Pulling out a key she kept on a silver chain around her neck.

Taking the key she would uncover a hidden slot in her desk. Inserting the key and turning it would cause a hidden drawer to pop open. Owning the drawer Gwen would pull out a scroll sealed shut by Gilgamesh’s seal.

“Take this and begin the preparations. I will handle the rest.” Gwen said plainly handing the scroll to Cleo. The information broker herself had memorized its contents before it had even been sealed all those decades ago. The parchment had aged but Gwens memory of that night had not... Things were going to be changing very soon.

“May the goddess have mercy on me..” She muttered as Cleo took the scroll and took her leave.

“Once your finished burn the scroll.” Gwen instructed as Cleo left with a final nod of acknowledgement.

 

[Charity Briarthorne]

"I am impressed, Charity. You are more observant than either of us gave you credit for, though I am afraid I underestimated your cunning and intelligence. I do apologize for that."

A light pink blush colored Charity's cheeks as her father praised her. It wasn't very often that she received praise from anyone, let alone her father. Though she disagreed with Gilgamesh's assessment of her being cunning and intelligent, Charity did her best to accept the compliment.

"Even Gwendolyn does not fully understand who Amadeus is, she has suspected what you have concluded for ages. The best way I can describe Amadeus is that he is my sponsor, an investor that helped me grow my failing business into an empire."

"Even Mother doesn't know everything?!" Charity asked incredulously. That couldn't be true. Gwen knew EVERYTHING there was to know about any subject.

He gently squeezed her hand, the only outward sign of affection he's shown to her in years, "You make an old man proud. I look forward to taking you under my wing once again."

Charity felt a long-forgotten warmness stir in her heart as Gilgamesh squeezed her hand. No matter how much she loved Gwendolyn and attached herself to her over the years, Charity's love for her father always beat out that love by a fair margin. Whether or not the love was reciprocated was inconsequential in her eyes.

Her smile grew larger and warmer as she held onto Gilgamesh's hand. "I can't wait to finally be able to spend some more time together Daddy! Oh! And to learn from you too of course!" Charity rose and followed her father to the door and waved as his carriage departed.