14 Keiari, 951
We've decided to take a day or so to give the Shining Sea Bass time to not be riding beside us. I tried to read through the book, notes, and copy the rituals in it for my own collection. Ras proved surprisingly good at ritual and sorcery knowledge but I feel like I almost know more about Seer magic than she does. And I know basically nothing at all. I tried to tell her everything I could about it, not that it's much.
I did send Zayne off for some supplies in town for the rituals, and I wasn't entirely sure if I could trust him not to steal everything.
((Zayne had a goofy scene with Gorael, and did end up stealing it from him. Nooooo.))
He didn't steal anything, turns out, but I think he got upsold things he didn't need. Ras described them as performance enhancing roots, gives higher reaction time and alertness and stuff. Honestly, not that useless but probably not worth picking up. I'm washing my hands of it.
21 Keiari, 951
I woke up to a letter on my desk with the Sivro seal. I have no idea how it got there, but inside was a note...
Rameera,
I apologize if this letter comes at an inconvenient time in your oh-so-important quest. I must inform you that earlier today, imperial auditors have taken your father and eldest brother into custody for withholding taxes. I predict that within the week, I will have no choice but to declare our house bankrupt, and we will be stripped of all land and title.
You may come home now, if you wish.
Mother
Goddamnit. Damnit fuck shit. I was supposed to help them and it just got worse. Something is messed up. It doesn't feel right. I re-read the note about a dozen times. When I glanced up I saw the crow, Caliese, on my table staring at me.
((Everyone seems to be having a dream sequence. Zayne's is in the past with his sister pulling a heist, Raz's seems to revolve around her crewmates in some way in an abstract form. Namely, looking like Rameera.))
The crow talked with Vasha's voice. Fucking Vasha. He should be half a world away, I'm pretty sure he's still at the academy. Or went home to his estates. He asked me if I was okay, I asked him if there's some seer dream-messing-up going on... but he's a part of it, if it is... He hasn't been able to answer. He did say that my mom's writing lines up with what I told him of her, that she's a bitch. I mean, yeah, my parents basically acted like I don't exist but I don't remember her being...
Let alone my dad committing tax evasion. I knew we were in dire straits, its why they were willing to pay for this... It was a last ditch effort... But... I can't wrap my head around this. I told him to jump on my shoulder and lets see what's going on. Out we go.
It took me home. Home. Into my old bedroom, overlooking the estate grounds. I stepped out and saw all my siblings' rooms, the old house... I jumped down and slid down a bannister. I tried to get out of my estate, to get away from here. Away from them. My stupid parents, my siblings and their rubbing their achievements and the attention they get in my face, the servants who always act like they wish I was someone else. They watched me. Stared at me. Judged me. Bore their stares into me...
And there were my parents. Dad wearing his over-showy clothes, mom just there hounding me and judging me, sorting me and finding me lacking for marriage, for striking out on my own for everything. Not living up in the shadow of her and my siblings and everyone else. Asked me where I was going and I folded. I disappeared. Vasha defended me, and I found my voice. Told them. What I held in for so long... That I was just going away, like they always wanted. Not bugging them. Getting in the way of them and my siblings. They only cared that I was back in time not to embarrass them... and when I ran I surged harder than ever, and the world disappeared around me.
This isn't a dream, it's a nightmare.