Eirian recounted the whole story, starting with the march out of the gates to her return, passed out in a wagon. Finn looked more and more horrified as the story went on, which Eirian supposed was understandable. She was sure once the shock wore off, however many years that would take, and one day she'd look back and be horrified herself. Right now, she was just too exhausted for it. And, admittedly, she was still too proud of her accomplishment to see it as anything other than glory. That would fade in time, because it always did. All victories became nightmares when the heroes lived long enough to look back on them. It was why so few lived that long, according to Uncle Jacques, who'd lost some of his closest childhood friends to their own blades. He'd been the only one comforted when Eirian had confided that Ardain was a blooding blade, because Ardain might drive her mad some day, but she would never allow Eirian to turn Ardain on herself.
"What happened here?" She asked when she was finished telling her own story.
Finn's face fell, but he squared his shoulders and, after a few aborted starts, managed to start. He told her about the continued project to inventory the Vault, the pieces they'd found missing, and the tunnels, the ones that had collapsed and the ones still in use. Eirian's eyes widened when he told her about stumbling on the group robbing the Vault and the chase, and she seemed particularly concerned about the family crest. "But it's so old, it hasn't been worn by anyone in ten years. Lady Yang had them all melted down, but Emmy and Henri think some of them were probably stolen or sold by lower-ranked members of the household."
Eirian frowned, "I guess that's true, but it's also possible some kept them for sentimental reasons? Or an old box got mixed with new ones? They ran out? There are a lot of reasons why it could still be from a member of the Yang family."
"But just as many are pointing to others. It seems so easy, that they could be trying to frame the Yangs, the way they're blaming-" he stopped, glanced at Mingzhe.
"Go on." Mingzhe gestured for him to continue.
Finn flashed him an apologetic look and pushed on. "The way the Zhaos are being targeted. The way Chenzhou has been targeted. It doesn't seem that surprising that someone could also be targeting the Yangs. They are influential in the Camelia. They have a significant amount of wealth and holdings."
"You think that's why someone is targeting Chenzhou?" Eirian thought it through, but something didn't feel right. "There may be glory in being Lord of the Camelia, but there is also a lot of work. And danger, like this situation now. Whoever this is, there will be another after them. It never ends. That is one of the prices of power." She snorted and muttered. "Not sure why anyone without it would want it."
"And yet, the list of those who do seems never-ending," Mingzhe muttered.
"Lady Yang is well known for her loyalty. It's one of the first things everyone says about her. And her dedication to the Camelia. She may not always agree with Chenzhou, but she seems like she should be smart enough to know that anyone willing to gain power that way could never be trustworthy." Finn, as estranged as he was from his own family, was well aware of the games of power noble families frequently played. The Vermeers had practically written the book on them, and even if Finn hadn't been involved in any, or didn't want to be involved in any, the lore around them was practically ingrained in him from birth. Personally, he thought it was all madness. A waste of time and effort, and most often ridiculous amounts of gold, that achieved nothing but even more fueds and hatred.
"You would think everyone would know that, but you'd be surprised at how many hear it and still don't believe it applies to them." Eirian scoffed. There were plenty like that in the capital. The rules applied to everyone else, but never to them. No matter what, it never applied to them. The power of delusion was always one of the strongest among humans.
"There's significant evidence pointing towards the Yins as well," Finn admitted. "That's where Emmy caught the Bandri and Snake in the secret meeting. She said it was such a large group of people that it seemed impossible to imagine someone in the family didn't know about it."
"The Yin family is huge." Mingzhe sighed, accepting a glass of wine from Marian.
"As are the Yangs. And the Wens. And the Colfaxes. The noble families of the Camelia are all of significant size." Marian pointed out and handed Eirian a glass of wine. She carefully lifted a now-asleep Brendan out of her arms and tucked him under a blanket on the small settee in the corner, before pouring herself a glass and taking a seat on the edge of Eirian's bed.
The wine was cold and sweet, and Eirian savored it. Winter fruit and ice, and for a brief second, even the fire under her skin was cooled.
~ tbc