back to normal, if it ever was

all our lives i watched you search beneath the fallen skies

"Officially? No..actually. I do not think so. With Zariah off the throne I think everyone just assumed that Wessex and Ronin were ignoring what had happened. She had created a mandatory conscription. Most of the warrants were following up on men who had not enlisted." There were other things arrests had been issued for, but that was the bulk of it. "Oh, ehm..." The alchemist frowned, ruffling a hand through his curls and then leaving his hand against the back of his neck. "She just...declared it. You can imagine how well it went over. In theory I suppose it was not entirely a bad idea. The Grounds did and do need some sort of leadership, but going from 0 to Zariah?"

Solemnly, the alchemist pulled in a breath. "I even defended her, against the resistance that started. Saying she did have our best interests at heart, even if it seemed...aggressive. But.." Glancing up, Remi flashed Loren an almost apologetic smile. This was his cousin? he was talking about. "But then she threatened Aoife..and Ronin." He all but whispered, though not sadly. Darkly. That had been the last straw. The proverbial one that broke the camels back, only in Zariah's case, it had turned Remi away from his more gentle impulses and directly into his more predatory ones.

"Am I?" The alchemist shot back, boyish ease making his confidence bright. "There were many of us who met to decide who might lead...many part of the revolution. Only three names were put forward: Rory, Ronin, and Wessex." Jigano had probably wanted his name in, but it hadn't happened for better or worse. He'd been named king though, given away the crown and earned himself a world of trouble for it. As for the three? Well. It had come down to Ronin and Wessex, and Ronin had won out by a landslide. "I...honestly, right now, I do not think there is anyone else. Amalia, maybe." He added with a shrug.

"Well, you have seen the guildhall." Remi said lightly, having heard that the Launceleyn had gone by to see Ronin. "People come and go freely, I am not sure where such an office might even be set up. As for the manor...Edy had once mentioned she thought Zariah could listen in, so I know neither king nor queen are keen on holding meetings there." To Remi's knowledge, they'd been meeting in the temple. How permanent a solution that was, the alchemist hardly knew. "Probably a better question for Ronin and Wessex."

Flinching slightly at the mention of his tail, the manticore drew in a breath, his massive claws digging deep into the earth. "It...yes. Quite potent." He agreed with a swallow. More time. That too made the alchemist flinch slightly. More time when Ronin was dead? It wasn't what Loren meant (probably), but it was all he could think. "Mmmm." He hummed (growled) in agreement.

Large enough to ride (and then some), the shift from manticore to man was awkward and not as practiced as the alchemist's other shifts. "The paws." He agreed, before his smile grew crooked. "Here, close your eyes. See if you can guess."