Role

Chapter 3

'But Empress, how could you, in good conscience, treat that man thusly ?'
That had been the end of the way things were, and the beginning of the way
things are.

Of the Family Palewing, due to the lack of color and 'soft' beauty akin to
her line.
Of the Clan Swiftwind, still, for heritage and brotherhood are noble things
to hold to.

Her family had always been well off. Not because they were of any royalty, or
great craftsmen, but because the Ladies of Palewing had waited on the royal
family for so many generations, that even when the royal family had withered
and passed to other houses, the Palewings had always attended them. Their
private advice and humble wisdom had garnered them much respect, both with
the Empress, and Emperor, but also with the other royalty of the Arial City.
But the current Emporer and his wife had grown less friendly in their
judgements, less concerned with the betterment of the City, and more for what
they wanted entirely for themselves. They asked, and heeded, less of the
advice of the Lady Palewing, and sought the advice of the councilors who
spoke only what was pleasing to the Rulers, not what was right or wrong.

Tiburona grew up in the court. Though she did not wait on the Empress, she
tended to the other, lesser, ladies of the court, as was her place. Acting
regal and proper was not just done when she was working, it was a way of
life. Being raised a 'proper lady' was not an option, it was how things were.
She was taught by the great and wise to know great lore and things worldly.
She was given instruction by the righteous and just to know goodness and
sound judgement. In all ways she was a great girl, in line to become another
Lady Palewing, attendant to The Lady. But what was good and wise no longer
seemed welcome in the Court.

That is how the name Palewing came to disgrace. Well, disgrace to the royals,
not the common arial, who seem to know right and wrong more easily.
Tiburona's mother had councilled The Lady privately, and councilled her
rightly, but The Lady took it as a chastisment, rather than sound wisdom, and
publicly scolded her and demanded she be cast from the City. Lady Palewing
took her punishment with the grace and dignity explected of her, for she was
truly a Lady, but Tiburona did not. She reproached the Empress and in her
anger she shouted at The Lady in front of the whole court, speaking of her
pettiness and vanity. Denying the sentence imposed and charging the Empress a
lothsome darkfriend, she was taken in hand and cast out of the city, her and
her entire family.

The punishment was not hard on the family in any way that you would notice.
Sophisticated grace and elegance are still the way of life. Goodness and
sound judgement are part of them, not to be cast aside for any reason. The
Palewing family took up residence in a nearby Elven city, similar to the one
they left, but full of purity, and old values of right and wrong, not easily
swayed by modern times, or flights of materialism. Their reputation was
well-known, and they were welcomed into the court to continue the duties they
had long held. Though they did not bear feathers or the sharp features and
appendages, the Elves were as close in Spirit as one could be. An old family,
and an old race, kindred spirits.

Tiburona di