City of Guilds

The next day after meeting The Necromancer, Babs Seed met with her new friend, Sveta, they spent time together, sharing their world view with each other and, at least for the Orzhov noble, learning life lessons she failed to learn before. As they spent time together, Sveta began to show a slight change, she grew cheerful and amicable, she no longer felt as the merciless, cold, and extremely religious noble carried on a litter by a bunch of deformed monsters. She was still carried on that same litter, and still had a large entourage of thrull servants and armored knights, but her facial expression changed. Even among the Orzhov their friendship was seen as good news, both for the mental health of one of their own and to secure ties with the rather resourceful group the filly was connected to.

After her meeting with Sveta, Babs Seed returned to the outpost. Not long before her return, Midnight Edge and Yevgeny went to a local tavern. Babs Seed went to her bedroom to rest, waiting for Midnight Edge to return.

...

An Orzhov woman walked into the chamber and spoke before a large groups of ghosts which seemed uninterested with the outside world.

“Spirits of the Obzedat, I need your advice.” The woman spoke, expecting them to give her instruction.

“Tell us what is the cause of your concern, Teysa Karlov.” One of the ghosts replied, barely interested about the cause, yet worried about one of their own feeling concern because of it.

“The current head of house Morozova, Sveta, she seems extremely interested in a group of outsiders. That generally would be no issue, but she is far too generous to them. I have even heard she intends to organize something big to celebrate their friendship. I just wanted to know what were your views on it.”

“She has earned the right to spend as much as she wants on others. It is not something out of the usual, the spirits of her parents do not seem as concerned as you.” Another ghost responded, it intended to guide their contact with the mortals, but had little interest in taking action.

“But they could try to take advantage of her generosity, until now she has asked nothing in return other than their friendship. I am afraid she might even lose faith in you due to her obsession with those outsiders.”

“Do not worry my child. She prays to us quite often, and her faith in the guild has not diminished. In fact she seems to feel more faith than before. This friendship has renewed her will to live, and so, her will to act on the best interests of the guild, her friends, and herself.”

“But her friendship could interfere with her loyalty to us.”

“It won't. They seem to value loyalty as much as we do. As long as no harm comes to them, she will remain unchanged, and in fact she could reap the benefits of such friendship. Her generosity is not likely to go unrewarded. You know well the importance of friendship and social bonds to pursue our goals.” A third ghost responded, slightly more interested in helping than the other two.

“Should we offer them membership into the guild?” Another ghost wondered. Its thoughts were shared by Teysa herself.

“That will not be necessary, and could prove detrimental. Their friendly interaction with other guilds without belonging to any could also benefit our interaction with other guilds. The benefits of such alliances are of relevance to the current state of the guild pact. It would be better to keep our current stability rather than risking any unintended change.”

“Should we act if lady Morozova faces betrayal?” Teysa asked her superiors.

“If her bloodline remains strong, there will be no need of action from us, she will handle it herself. If she requires our help, she must request it, and pay in kind. And if she fails to handle such issue with our help, or refuses to seek it, then she is to face the fate she brought upon herself. It is after all better if we do not act.” Another ghost spoke, hoping there would be no further need to address the situation.

“As usual” A female ghost spoke, tired of the whole conversation.

“I understand your concern. We know very little about these creatures and their other foreign friends. Their origins are as enigmatic as that of that young man Jace Beleren. And based on our experience that could bring great change, unwanted change. But we know they do not seem to engage in deception. They are likely to prove beneficial at some point. Other tha their origin, such friendships are not unprecedented. Have faith my child.” So spoke the spirit which displayed interest in the situation. He was actually curious about the results of such unusual interaction.

“I will.” Teysa Karlov responded. Her feelings toward the Ozedat were still bitter, but she intended to follow their plans until she could strike again.

...

The tavern was full of citizens from all places, from simple guildless men to members of different guilds. Yevgeny and Midnight Edge sat at a small table, one drinking a heavy alcoholic drink to ease his emotional pain, the other drinking a tall glass of kompot. The Devkarin elf felt miserable due to the hardships brought upon his marriage with Ulyana by their guilds.

“So this is why Ulyana wanted me to go with you. I bet she already noticed you drink until your heart goes numb.” The stallion spoke and took a sip from his glass of kompot, his mind was partially focused on the conversation, the other part imagining that fruit scented shampoo at Babs Seed's residence could actually taste like the drink he was consuming at the moment.

“I wish I didn't have to. I don't know how to make things work.” Yevgeny responded with a depressed face.

“You mean your marriage? You look happy together.”

“Sure, we are happy. But we can't agree on many things. She sees nature as only growth and life, I work with the dead to grow new life.”

...

Ulyana and Babs Seed were sharing a similar conversation while they waited for their lovers to return. The conversation was initiated by Babs Seed, who wondered why Ulyana seemed sad even though things went quite well. They grew quite close to each other as time passed, since Babs Seed would seek advice from the elven healer sometimes. This time however she was the one giving advice.

“Well. But both care about nature and all its creatures don't you?” The filly inquired

“We do. And he seems to understand me better than anyone. But our disagreements are not the biggest issue. Trostani, the representative of my guild, does not trust the Golgari. She said terrible things before our wedding, cursing it to fail from the beginning. And the rest of the conclave mock me. They say... No... I can not say it. It is too horrible.”

“Is it something sexual? You can tell me, I already told you about that.”

“I am afraid so. How did you know?”

“Well. You didn't want to say it.”

“They say Yevgeny is revolting, and so having sex with him should be revolting. They call me degenerate for loving him, and say our children will be abominations just like their father.”

...

The troubled Devkarin elf was holding back tears as he continued. “Our first night... I was afraid she could feel disgusted by my appearance.”

“Come on! You are pretty much plain for a Devkarin. Unless you have some sort of deformity hidden under your clothes.”

“It is not that. The other farmers said she would be horrified by my smell and my look. I am not a fancy guy. They even said how I should “defile her” as if laying with her was something I was not worthy of. The only one to ever have faith in us was Jarad. And even he was not as confident. He feared our contrasting views could ruin the marriage. It happened to him. All that crap got in my head that night. I felt guilty of touching her. She is my wife, and I feel guilty of seeing her naked or touching her skin. I feel unworthy.” Yevgeny was crying as he continued. He confessed his suffering before his friend, and of course before any eavesdropping stranger.

“Know who else was afraid of messing things up and feels guilty for having sex with his lover? This big oaf before you.”

“Wait! You... With that kid?! I hope there are no Azorius around. You might be a foreigner, but they would find an excuse to have jurisdiction over your relationship and outlaw it.”

“See? You are not the only one who feels he did something wrong. But it all fades when you realize you love her. Don't you think so?”

...

“He can't help feeling guilty. Everyone tells him he does not deserve me, after that night many in my guild said I was tainted, that is why I am no longer allowed in most of their buildings. They say his touch corrupted me.” The Silhana elf was pained by how her own guild treated her. “Trostani is so dogmatic, she thinks Yevgeny is a negative influence on me, and many reject me because of that. Even when Slesnya's will favored our marriage, they shun it.”

“So what?! Nopony believed Midnight and I could be together. He felt guilty quite often at first, and my cousins did not like him. But now they're cool. As long as you don't give up, nothing will break your love. In the end they will accept it. You said they were like a big family, and your family will not stay angry with you, or your husband, forever. They shouldn't.”

“What if they refuse to accept him? My mother supported me, and so did my sister, but my friends... I am not even sure they were my friends at all.”

“You don't need them then. If that Trostani is really as kind as she says she is, even she will realize your love deserves a chance. I bet she is just afraid it won't work because it already happened once.” Babs Seed looked at Ulyana in the eye, trying to inspire her with her look. “But this time it will work! I bet deep inside many hope it will”

...

Babs Seed and Midnight Edge brought hope to the heart of the tormented couple. They eased their pain, guiding them through their own example. A love that could not be defeated, a love which could not break no matter what.

...