Lyse made it a habit to visit this cell, time and time again. She would visit often, doing her best to speak to Fordola and understand why she made the choices that she did, and... sometimes, just to keep her company. This was one of those times. She had chosen to let Fordola live in the aftermath of everything, even if her fellow Ala Mhigans would rather have her head than know that she's sitting in some cell.
That's why Lyse made sure that the cell was guarded at all times, and only by people she trusted. She didn't want to chance that someone would sneak in and kill the other woman, not when there were things to learn from her.
"Good morning, Fordola." She says, her cheery voice contrasting the dank, dark cell. She doesn't expect an answer. Sometimes they just sit together in silence for awhile. It's why she's surprised when Fordola actually responds back.
"Why?" The other woman says, not even bothering to look up at Lyse, seemingly comfortable in her position on the stone floor.
"Why... what? If I may ask." Comes the reply.
"Why are you keeping me alive? You know as well as I do that no one wants me here."
At the question, Lyse hums quietly. It's not the first time she's been asked the question, and she's certain it's not the last. Fordola's position is a difficult one, but... she knows that Fordola has some good in her, even if she hides behind her cold and stony exterior.
"I want you here." Lyse repsonds after a moment.
"Why?" Comes the question again.
"I want to understand you." On those words from Lyse, Fordola's head actually snaps in her direction.
"I fought for the Empire." Replies Fordola, her brow creased.
"I know, but... there were other reasons for it. You know that as well as I do." Lyse answers, and for a moment, she's met with silence.
"Ala Mhigo is... was, my home. I wanted to do what I could for my people, even if it meant joining them." Replies Fordola. Her voice isn't as cold as it was previously. It's still difficult to pull the emotions from it, but Lyse can tell there's a sadness to it. Fordola wasn't a bad person. She did bad things, but the spirit of what she wanted to do wasn't bad. Not by a longshot. And Lyse can't help but respect the other woman for her motivations, even if she disagreed with her actual actions. "Even if it meant they'd hate me."
"Why?" Lyse asks.
"Because I had to do something."
There's a moment of silence before Lyse takes a few steps closer, kneeling down to stare into Fordola's eyes, like she's searching for something. "I'm sorry your method didn't work the way you had intended it to." There's another moment of silence before she continues. "If it's agreeable, there are actually some things I'd have you do."
"Like what?" The question is sharp but curious, Fordola's voice a little gruff.
"We're working on rebuilding Ala Mhigo. I'd like if you were part of that. Our workers need protection, actually." Lyse offers.
"They wouldn't want me there."
"Perhaps not, but you're strong. It'd be unfortunate to have you wasting away in here when we could put your skills to use." And perhaps... it would help start her down the road to forgiveness. She would never require people like Fordola, she completely understands that Fordola is seen as a traitor to her people, and that too many people were hurt by her actions for total forgiveness, but she wants to give the other woman a chance.
Fordola sighs. It's apparent that she already knows that she may not be getting much of a choice here anyway. It's obvious that she didn't quite know what to make of Lyse's trust in her. "I'll do what I'm made to do." Comes the answer after a moment.
"Thank you." Lyse replies, her voice warm, before she continues. "... I need to take my leave. If you need anything, though, don't hesitate to tell your guard to send for me. I'll be here as soon as I possibly can."
Fordola just grunts in response, her head turning back to stare at the wall.
And... as Lyse leaves the cell, a part of her wonders if she could have ended up in Fordola's position, had her life gone any differently.
MEMORY III
That's why Lyse made sure that the cell was guarded at all times, and only by people she trusted. She didn't want to chance that someone would sneak in and kill the other woman, not when there were things to learn from her.
"Good morning, Fordola." She says, her cheery voice contrasting the dank, dark cell. She doesn't expect an answer. Sometimes they just sit together in silence for awhile. It's why she's surprised when Fordola actually responds back.
"Why?" The other woman says, not even bothering to look up at Lyse, seemingly comfortable in her position on the stone floor.
"Why... what? If I may ask." Comes the reply.
"Why are you keeping me alive? You know as well as I do that no one wants me here."
At the question, Lyse hums quietly. It's not the first time she's been asked the question, and she's certain it's not the last. Fordola's position is a difficult one, but... she knows that Fordola has some good in her, even if she hides behind her cold and stony exterior.
"I want you here." Lyse repsonds after a moment.
"Why?" Comes the question again.
"I want to understand you." On those words from Lyse, Fordola's head actually snaps in her direction.
"I fought for the Empire." Replies Fordola, her brow creased.
"I know, but... there were other reasons for it. You know that as well as I do." Lyse answers, and for a moment, she's met with silence.
"Ala Mhigo is... was, my home. I wanted to do what I could for my people, even if it meant joining them." Replies Fordola. Her voice isn't as cold as it was previously. It's still difficult to pull the emotions from it, but Lyse can tell there's a sadness to it. Fordola wasn't a bad person. She did bad things, but the spirit of what she wanted to do wasn't bad. Not by a longshot. And Lyse can't help but respect the other woman for her motivations, even if she disagreed with her actual actions. "Even if it meant they'd hate me."
"Why?" Lyse asks.
"Because I had to do something."
There's a moment of silence before Lyse takes a few steps closer, kneeling down to stare into Fordola's eyes, like she's searching for something. "I'm sorry your method didn't work the way you had intended it to." There's another moment of silence before she continues. "If it's agreeable, there are actually some things I'd have you do."
"Like what?" The question is sharp but curious, Fordola's voice a little gruff.
"We're working on rebuilding Ala Mhigo. I'd like if you were part of that. Our workers need protection, actually." Lyse offers.
"They wouldn't want me there."
"Perhaps not, but you're strong. It'd be unfortunate to have you wasting away in here when we could put your skills to use." And perhaps... it would help start her down the road to forgiveness. She would never require people like Fordola, she completely understands that Fordola is seen as a traitor to her people, and that too many people were hurt by her actions for total forgiveness, but she wants to give the other woman a chance.
Fordola sighs. It's apparent that she already knows that she may not be getting much of a choice here anyway. It's obvious that she didn't quite know what to make of Lyse's trust in her. "I'll do what I'm made to do." Comes the answer after a moment.
"Thank you." Lyse replies, her voice warm, before she continues. "... I need to take my leave. If you need anything, though, don't hesitate to tell your guard to send for me. I'll be here as soon as I possibly can."
Fordola just grunts in response, her head turning back to stare at the wall.
And... as Lyse leaves the cell, a part of her wonders if she could have ended up in Fordola's position, had her life gone any differently.